“Ayurvedic Perspective And Therapeutic Role Of Classical Medicines In Dengue Fever: A Critical Review”

Authors

  • Dabas Ravi
  • Sweety
  • Kar A. C

Keywords:

Dengue fever (DF, Aedes aegypti, Carica papaya, Endemic, Ayurveda

Abstract

Dengue fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the dengue virus, which belongs to the genus Flavivirus. It is a major global public health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. According to data reported by World Health Organization, an estimated 100–400 million dengue infections occur annually worldwide, placing nearly half of the global population at risk. Dengue fever is endemic in India and several countries of Southeast Asia. The disease is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are active mainly during daytime.Based on the similarity in clinical presentation, dengue fever can be correlated with Dandaka Jwara or Sannipataja Jwara as described in Ayurvedic literature. In a large proportion of infected individuals, dengue remains asymptomatic or presents with mild symptoms, which usually subside spontaneously within 7–14 days. However, symptomatic cases commonly manifest with acute fever, severe headache, retro-orbital pain, backache, arthralgia, generalized body pain, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, and in severe cases, hemorrhagic manifestations and intense abdominal pain. Individuals experiencing a secondary dengue infection are at a higher risk of developing severe dengue, often necessitating hospitalization and intensive medical care.At present, there is no specific antiviral therapy available for dengue fever in modern medicine, and management is largely supportive and symptomatic. Prevention primarily focuses on avoiding mosquito bites and controlling mosquito breeding, especially during daylight hours. Ayurveda describes several medicinal plants and formulations that are traditionally used in the management of febrile conditions and for enhancing host immunity. Drugs such as Carica papaya Linn. and Curcuma longa Linn. are widely reported for their potential role in improving platelet count, modulating immune responses, and alleviating fever.The present study aims to comprehensively review dengue virus infection with respect to its etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management, with a special emphasis on Ayurvedic medicines. This review critically evaluates classical Ayurvedic references and contemporary scientific evidence to explore the therapeutic potential of Ayurvedic interventions in dengue fever....

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Hasan, S., Jamdar, S.F., Alalowi, M., Beaiji, Ageel Al, Al, S.M., 2016. Dengue virus: a global human threat: review of literature. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent 6 (1), 1–6. doi:10.4103/2231-0762.175416. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27011925

[2] Bhatt, S., Gething, P.W., Brady, O.J., Messina, J.P., Farlow, A.W., Moyes, C.L., Drake, J.M., et al., 2013. The global distribution and burden of dengue. Nature 496 (7446), 504– 507. doi:10.1038/nature12060, 2013 496:7446April.

[3] Chaturvedi, U.C., Nagar, R., 2008. Dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever: Indian perspective. J. Biosci. 33 (4), 429–441. doi:10.1007/S12038-008-0062-3, November

[4] Nvbdc, “National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme,” 2017, http://www.nvbdcp.gov.in/den-cd.html.

[5] Ecdpc, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) Geographical Distribution of Dengue Cases Reported Worldwide, ECDC, Solna, Sweden, 2021.

[6] Srikiatkhachorn, A., Rothman, A.L., Gibbons, R.V, Sittisombut, N., Malasit, P., Ennis, F.A., Nimmannitya, S., Kalayanarooj, S., 2011. Dengue–how best to classify It. Clinical Infect. Dis. 53 (6), 563–567. doi:10.1093/cid/cir451. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21832264 . September

[7] Mithra, R., Baskaran, P., Sathyakumar, M., 2013. Oral presentation in dengue hemorrhagic fever: a rare entity. J Nat Sci Biol Med 4 (1), 264. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.107324, January.

[8] Murugesan, A., Manoharan, M., 2020. Dengue virus. Emerging and Reemerging Viral Pathogens 281–359. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-819400-3.00016-8. from

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7149978/ .

[10] Sabir, M.J., Al-Saud, N.B.S., Hassan, S.M., 2021. Dengue and human health: a global scenario of its occurrence, diagnosis and therapeutics. Saudi J Biol Sci 28 (9), 5074–5080. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.05.023. from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X21003910 .

[11] Gupta, E., Dar, L., Kapoor, G., Broor, S., 2006. The changing epidemiology of dengue in Delhi, India. Virol. J. 3. doi:10.1186/1743-422X-3-92, November.

[12] Guo, C., Zhou, Z., Wen, Z., Liu, Y., Zeng, C., Xiao, D., Ou, M., et al., 2017. Global epidemiology of dengue outbreaks in 1990–2015: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 7 (JUL). doi:10.3389/FCIMB.2017.00317/FULL, July.

[13] Mohd-Zaki, A.H., Brett, J., Ismail, E., L’Azou, M., 2014. Epidemiology of dengue disease in Malaysia (2000–2012): a systematic literature review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 8 (11). doi:10.1371/JOURNAL.PNTD.0003159.

[14] Nicolas, A., et al. 2006. 20th Edition ‘Davidson’s Principles &cPractice of Medicine’. page 309. Churchill Living-stone.

[15] Hadinegoro, S.R.S., 2012. The revised WHO dengue case classification: does the system need to be modifified?. In: Paediatrics and International Child Health, 32, pp. 33–38. doi:10.1179/2046904712Z.00000000052 Suppl 1from.

[16] Tang, K.F., Ooi, E.E., 2012. Diagnosis of dengue: an update. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 10 (8), 895–907. doi:10.1586/eri.12.76, August.

[17] Peeling, R.W., Artsob, H., Pelegrino, J.L., Buchy, P., Cardosa, M.J., Devi, S., Enria, D.A., et al., 2010. Evaluation of diagnostic tests: dengue. Nature

[18] Reviews Microbiology 8 (12), S30–S37. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2459, from https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2459.

[19] Wong, P.-F., Wong, L.-P., AbuBakar, S., 2020. Diagnosis of severe dengue: challenges, needs and opportunities. J Infect Public Health 13 (2), 193– 198. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2019.07.012. from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034119302473 .

[20] Nasir, N.H., Mohamad, M., Lum, L.C.S., Ng, C.J., 2017. Effffectiveness of a flfluid chart in outpatient management of suspected dengue fever: a pilot study.

[21] PLoS ONE 12 (10), e0183544. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0183544. –e0183544from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28977019 . October 4

[22] Lum, L., Ng, C.J., Khoo, E.M., 2014. Managing dengue fever in primary care: a practical approach. Malaysian Family Phys. 9 (2), 2–10. from

[23] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25893065 . August 31.

[24] Nandini, C., Madhunapantula, S.V, Bovilla, V.R., Ali, M., Mruthunjaya, K., Santhep ete, M.N., Jayashree, K., 2021. Platelet enhancement by carica papaya l. leaf fractions in cyclophosphamide induced thrombocytopenic rats is due to elevated expression of CD110 receptor on megakaryocytes. J Ethnopharmacol 275, 114074.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114074, July.

[25] Dharmarathna, S.L.C.A., Wickramasinghe, S., Waduge, R.N., Rajapakse, R.P.V.J.,Kularatne, S.A.M., 2013. Does carica papaya leaf-extract increase the platelet count? an experimental study in a murine model. Asian Pac. J.Trop. Biomed. 3 (9), 720–724. doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60145-8. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23998013 . September

[26] Saleh, M.S.M., Kamisah, Y., 2021. Potential medicinal plants for the treatment of dengue fever and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus. Biomolecules 11 (1), 1–25.doi:10.3390/biom11010042.

[27] Lim, S.Y.M., Chieng, J.Y., Pan, Y., 2021. Recent insights on anti-dengue virus (DENV) medicinal plants: review on in vitro, in vivo and in silico discoveries. All Life 14 (1),1–33. doi:10.1080/26895293.2020.1856192.

[28] Subenthiran, S., Choon, T.C., Cheong, K.C., Thayan, R., Teck, M.B., Muniandy, P.K.,Afzan, A., Abdullah, N.R., Ismail, Z., 2013. Carica papaya leaves juice signifificantly accelerates the rate of increase in platelet count among patients with dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever. Evidence-Based Complemen-tary and Alternative Medicine 2013, 616737. doi:10.1155/2013/616737, from https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/616737.

[29] Sathyapalan, D.T., Padmanabhan, A., Moni, M., P-Prabhu, B., Prasanna, P., Balachandran, S., Trikkur, S.P., et al., 2020. Effiffifficacy & safety of carica papaya leaf extract (CPLE) in severe thrombocytopenia (≤30,000/Ml) in adult dengue – results of apilot study. PLoS ONE 15 (2), e0228699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228699, from https://doi.org/February 19.

[30] Prasad, S., Aggarwal, B.B., 2011. Turmeric, the Golden Spice. In: Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects: Second Edition, pp. 263–288 March.

[31] Sharififi-Rad, J., Rayess, Y.El, Rizk, A.A., Sadaka, C., Zgheib, R., Zam, W., Sestito, S.,et al., 2020. Turmeric and its major compound curcumin on health: bioactive effects and safety profifiles for food, pharmaceutical, biotechnological and medicinal applications. Front Pharmacol 11, 1021. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.01021. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33041781 . September.

[32] Jia, S., Shen, M., Zhang, F., Xie, J., 2017. Recent advances in momordica charantia: functional components and biological activities. Int J Mol Sci 18 (12), 2555. doi:10.3390/ijms18122555. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29182587 .November 28.

[33] Tungmunnithum, D., Thongboonyou, A., Pholboon, A. and Yangsabai, A., Flavonoids and Other Phenolic Compounds from Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical and Medical Aspects: an Overview, Medicines, vol. 5, no. 3, p. 93, August 2018. DOI:10.3390/MEDICINES5030093

[34] Mituiassu, L.M.P., Serdeiro, M.T., Vieira, R.R.B.T., Oliveira, L.S., Maleck, M., 2021. Momordica charantia l. extracts against aedes aegypti larvae. Braz J Biol 82, e236498.doi:10.1590/1519-6984.236498.

[35] Yeh, T.-F., Lin, C.-Y., Chang, S.-T., 2014. A potential low-coumarin cinnamon substitute: cinnamomum osmophloeum leaves. J. Agric. Food Chem. 62 (7), 1706–1712. doi:10.1021/jf405312q, February.

[36] Cheng, S.-S., Liu, J.-Y., Tsai, K.-H., Chen, W.-J., Chang, S.-T., 2004. Chemical composition and mosquito larvicidal activity of essential oils from leaves of different cinnamomum osmophloeum provenances. J. Agric. Food Chem. 52 (14), 4395–4400.doi:10.1021/jf0497152, July.

[37] Factor, I., Sarangi, M. and Padhi, S., International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Dengue and Its Phytotherapy : A Review, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 37–46, 2014.

[38] Kumar, M., Tomar, M., Amarowicz, R., Saurabh, V., Nair, M.S., Maheshwari, C.,Sasi, M., et al., 2021. Guava (Psidium Guajava L.) leaves: nutritional composition, phytochemical profifile, and health-promoting bioactivities. Foods 10 (4), 752.doi:10.3390/foods10040752. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33916183. April 1.

[39] Trujillo-Correa, A.I., Quintero-Gil, D.C., Diaz-Castillo, F., Quiñones, W., Robledo, S.M.,Martinez-Gutierrez, M., 2019. In vitro and in silico anti-dengue activity of compounds obtained from psidium guajava through bioprospecting. BMC Complement Altern Med 19 (1), 298. doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2695-1, November.

[40] Zhao, Q., Chen, X.-Y., Martin, C., 2016. Scutellaria baicalensis, the golden herb from the garden of chinese medicinal plants. Science Bulletin 61 (18), 1391.doi:10.1007/S11434-016-1136-5, September.

[41] Sucipto, T.H., Churrotin, S., Setyawati, H., Martak, F., Mulyatno, K.C., Amarullah, I.H.,Kotaki, T., Kameoka, M., Yotopranoto, S., Soegijanto, A.S., 2018. A new copper (ii)- imidazole derivative effffectively inhibits replication of denv-2 in vero cell. Afr J Infect Dis 12 (1 Suppl), 116–119. doi:10.2101/Ajid.12v1S.17.

[42] Zandi, K., Lim, T.-H., Rahim, N.-A., Shu, M.-H., Teoh, B.-T., Sam, S.-S., Danlami, M.-B.,Tan, K.-K., Abubakar, S., 2013. Extract of scutellaria baicalensis inhibits dengue virus replication. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013 13:1 13 (1), 1–10. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-13-91, April.

[43] Alzohairy, M.A., 2016. Therapeutics role of azadirachta indica (neem) and their active constituents in diseases prevention and treatment. Evidence-Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2016, 7382506. doi:10.1155/2016/7382506. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27034694 .

[44] Parida, M.M., Upadhyay, C., Pandya, G., Jana, A.M., 2002. Inhibitory potential of neem (azadirachta indica juss) leaves on dengue virus type-2 replication. J Ethnopharmacol 79 (2), 273–278. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(01)00395-6, February.

[45] Dwivedi, V.D., Bharadwaj, S., Afroz, S., Khan, N., Ansari, M.A., Yadava, U., Tripathi, R.C., Tripathi, I.P., Mishra, S.K., Kang, S.G., 2021. Anti-dengue infectivity evaluation of bioflflavonoid from azadirachta indica by dengue virus serine protease inhibition. J. Biomole. Struct. Dynamics 39 (4), 1417–1430. doi:10.1080/07391102.2020.1734485, from https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2020.1734485, March 4.

[46] Rasool, S., Raza, M.A., Manzoor, F., Kanwal, Z., Riaz, S., Iqbal, M.J., Naseem, S., 2020. Biosynthesis, characterization and anti-dengue vector activity of silver nanoparticles prepared from azadirachta indica and citrullus colocynthis. R Soc Open Sci 7 (9),200540. doi:10.1098/rsos.200540, September.

[47] Rao, V.B., Yeturu, K., 2020. Possible anti-viral effffects of neem (azadirachta indica) on dengue virus. BioRxiv doi:10.1101/2020.04.29.069567,p. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.29.069567.

[48] Castillo, R.M., Stashenko, E., Duque, J.E., 2017. Insecticidal and repellent activity of several plant-derived essential oils against aedes aegypti. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 33 (1), 25–35. doi:10.2987/16-6585.1

[49] Manh, H.D., Hue, D.T., Hieu, N.T.T., Tuyen, D.T.T., Tuyet, O.T., 2020. The mosquito larvicidal activity of essential oils from cymbopogon and eucalyptus species in Vietnam. Insects 11 (2), 1–7. doi:10.3390/insects11020128.

[50] Neelawala, D., Rajapakse, S., Kumbukgolla, W., 2019. Potential of medicinal plants to treat dengue. Pdfs.Semanticscholar.Org 5, 2455–8931. doi:10.14202/IJOH.2019.86-91. Walia, S. and Singh, M., Tracing plants potential effffective against dengue virus : a review, no. May 2021.

[51] Walia, S. and Singh, M., Tracing plants potential effffective against dengue virus : a review, no. May 2021.

[52]

[53] Adiguna, S.P., Panggabean, J.A., Atikana, A., Untari, F., Izzati, F., Bayu, A.,Rosyidah, A., Rahmawati, S.I., Putra, M.Y., 2021. Antiviral activities of an drographolide and its derivatives: mechanism of action and delivery system. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 14 (11), 1102. doi:10.3390/ph14111102. from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34832884 . October 28.

[54] Ahmad, S., Zahiruddin, S., Parveen, B., Basist, P., Parveen, A., Gaurav, Parveen, R., Ahmad, M., 2021. Indian medicinal plants and formulations and their potential against COVID-19–preclinical and clinical research. Front. Pharmacol..

[55] Chavda, V.P., Vora, L.K., Vihol, D.R., 2021. COVAX-19 R○ vaccine: completely blocks virus transmission to non-immune individuals. Clin. Complement Med. Pharmacol. 1(1),100004. doi:10.1016/j.ccmp.2021.100004. fromhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772371221000048 .

[56] Shad, A.A., Ahmad, S., Ullah, R., AbdEl-Salam, N.M., Fouad, H., Rehman, N.U., Hussain, H., Saeed, W., 2014. Phytochemical and biological activities of four wild medicinal plants. The Scientifific World J. 2014, 857363. doi:10.1155/2014/857363, from https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/857363.

[57] Alara, O.R., Abdurahman, N.H., Alara, J.A., Papaya, Carica, 2020. Comprehensive overview of the nutritional values, phytochemicals and pharmacological activities. Adv. Tradition. Med. doi:10.1007/S13596-020-00481-3.

[58] Mukherjee, P.K., Kumar, V., Mal, M., Houghton, P.J., 2007. Acorus calamus: scientifific validation of ayurvedic tradition from natural resources. Pharm Biol 45 (8), 651–666.doi:10.1080/13880200701538724, October.

[59] Balasubramanian, A., Pilankatta, R., Teramoto, T., Sajith, A.M., Nwulia, E., Kulkarni, A., Padmanabhan, R., 2019. Inhibition of dengue virus by curcuminoids. Antiviral Res. 162, 71. doi:10.1016/J.ANTIVIRAL.2018.12.002, February.

[60] Chandrasekaran, T., 2019. Larvicidal activity of essential oil from vitex negundo and vitex trifolia on dengue vector mosquito aedes aegypti. SciELO Brasil n.d.

[61] Dewi, B.E., Taufifiqqurrachman, I., Desti, H., Sudiro, M., Fithriyah and Angelina, M., Inhibition mechanism of psidium guajava leaf to dengue virus replication in vitro, IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 462, no. 1, p. 012034, April 2020. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/462/1/012034

[62] Singh, P.K., Rawat, P., 2017. Evolving herbal formulations in management of dengue fever. J Ayurveda Integr Med 8 (3), 207. doi:10.1016/J.JAIM.2017.06.005, July..

Downloads

Published

2025-02-23

How to Cite

1.
Ravi D, Sweety S, A. C K. “Ayurvedic Perspective And Therapeutic Role Of Classical Medicines In Dengue Fever: A Critical Review”. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025 Feb. 23 [cited 2026 Jan. 21];14(2S):854-62. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/9850

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2S (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.