Papaya leaf as a herbal medicine

I always knew the humble papaya was great for health. We eat the ripe and yellow papaya in tropical fruit salads. We also consume unripe papaya in the cooked form in different recipes. Why, we also eat unripe papaya raw in the form of a chutney that my husband fondly calls 'plastic chutney' as it resembles thin strips of transparent plastic ribbons.

But I came to know another use of the papaya plant when last evening my cook was carrying home a young papaya leaf. She said it was for treating her son's fever.

Papaya leaf for treating fever???? I started 'Googling' around for more information on the medicinal effects of the papaya leaf. Here's what I found.

I read about over half a dozen benefits of papaya leaves.

• As an acne medicine
• To facilitate digestion
• To prevent ulcers
• Increase appetite
• Dengue fever
• Malaria
• Menstrual pain
• Anti-cancer
• Anti-inflammatory in benign prostate hypertrophy 

Amazing!