EFFECTS OF Carica papaya LEAF EXTRACT SUSPENSION ON CARBOPLATIN INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN MICE

Plants and plant-based products have been active to stop numerous human diseases since ancient times. Carica papaya Linn. From the Caricaseae family, is perennial usually unbranched, smooth stem and long-stalked leaves. Papaya leaf extract (PLE) has a therapeutic role in the action of numerous human diseases due to the existence of rich source of phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins. From this study it was found that Carica papaya leaf significantly increases the thrombocyte count and prevents chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia. The effect starts immediately from day2. But the effect on neutrophil count is not conclusive as the count increased only on the last four days of observation. In future if developed as an anti-cancer drug, it can be either given alone without any complication of thrombocytopenia or can be combined with other anticancer drugs preventing thrombocytopenia induced by them. However the substances responsible for this action have to be identified and isolated. There is also need for further studies on experimental animals and human beings that may provide definitive and sure data regarding its usefulness, exact mode of action and therapeutic utilization. Once the exact mode of action is known it can be tried in other thrombocytopenic conditions and also will be a new generation of drugs in the treatment of cancer.