Tawa-tawa a cure for dengue?
By nytrisco
@nytrisco (567)
Philippines
August 23, 2011 6:19am CST
According to some people who survived the deadly virus of dengue that "Tawa-tawa" plant saved their lives. And a while ago as seen on TV Patrol, some chemists or med techs from a hospital had an experiment done to tawa-tawa, all four petri dishes contains dengue virus, they put a small amount of tawa-tawa on two petri dishes and a huge amount on the other two dishes. The results were great, the virus in the small amount of tawa-tawa still continue to multiply and the virus on the other two with the huge amount of it, declined you could only see less than 10 spots on the petri dish.
But DOH still refuses to use this medicinal plant to aid dengue patients. They only say that there are still much to study about this plant. So why don't they study the plant so that we could really see how effective this plant to kill those dengue virus? Why don't they create a team and fund it to study tawa-tawa plant? People were using it since five years ago and yet DOH haven't done any action to research or study this plant.
Any words on this topic?
PS: Some people claim that Papaya leaves can also help for platelets to multiply faster.
2 people like this
14 responses
@mabeldaclan (787)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
Just last summer, I got this sickness. They instructed me to drink a lot of water and more liquids. One of my aunts also mentioned this medicinal plant, and they planned on giving me some. But I was transferred to another hospital and they were not able to give me this medicine. However, they were able to give me the papaya leaf (I think that is papaya; it is color green and that is what I can remember, forgive my memory
). I am just not sure if that medication (the papaya) made my platelet count higher. All I can remember is that, I had a platelet count of 20 in the morning (then, they gave me the green thing) and I had 200+ in the evening..
). I am just not sure if that medication (the papaya) made my platelet count higher. All I can remember is that, I had a platelet count of 20 in the morning (then, they gave me the green thing) and I had 200+ in the evening.. @nytrisco (567)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
When I was still in college I always hear that papaya leaves helps platelet to multiply. There was this incident at the hospital where I was on duty back then that a kid was in a severe case of dengue, his gums and noses were already bleeding, since his parents cannot afford for blood transfusion so what they did was to let their kid drink the water that was used to boil papaya leaves. And then the next day, the doctor was shock that his gums no longer bleed and the platelet had increase just like in your case. Thanks for the response mabeldaclan =)
@mabeldaclan (787)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
The papaya drink is really effective then. But, it doesn't taste good. I can't remember if its bitter or what, all I know is that I had a hard time drinking that. I had a hard time swallowing the liquid, and after that, its like I wanted to throw up. But I don't have any choice but to take that in because they will scold at me if I won't drink that. I'm just so thankful that I became better soon enough that they weren't able to give me one more shot of that papaya drink.
But I don't have any choice but to take that in because they will scold at me if I won't drink that. I'm just so thankful that I became better soon enough that they weren't able to give me one more shot of that papaya drink.
@miessy24 (235)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
I think the government cannot afford right now to spend for research on health. Sad to say this though. Health is as important as building this entire country because we rely on manpower. And how can we be productive if some of us are sick, or some of us are watching over our sick loved ones. We are then glad that this miraculous, heavenly-sent herb is a proven cure by many claims. As a nurse in the hospital, I have witnessed the improvement of my patients with the use of tawa-tawa. And this is not to be ignored. Well, I guess, in my own theory, the reason the DOH refuses to further study the tawa-tawa effectiveness is because they don't want it to be abused by some greedy pharmaceutical businessmen.
@nytrisco (567)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
Thanks for the response miessy. Why couldn't they afford to spend for the research? My guess is also the same with vycess, since they already produce a vaccine for it and if in case they prove that tawa-tawa can cure dengue, people will not buy the expensive vaccine but will just rely on the miraculous plant which is only free.
Enigma, it is because DOH didn't do any research yet. But according to patients when I was also on duty at the hospitals just like miessy's experience, tawa-tawa really help in fighting dengue virus, even on the severe cases of it.
Thanks for sharing guys!
@Jenith (1381)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
Government can't afford in funding for research on this herb and what they CAN AFFORD is put millions of money into their own pocket. *sigh*
@enigma13 (372)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
I have heard of the tawa-tawa plants from the news before however, there was a disclaimer that there are no concrete proofs yet regarding its effects on dengue. Now that I've read this post, not to mention a comment coming from a registered nurse saying that this plant does help improve a dengue patient's condition, I can use it as a temporary remedy if the need arises (hopefully I'll never need to use this plant).
@aeadams (126)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
I heard about this plant. this is what my friend used when she and her sister had dengue last year. the hospitals are full of dengue patients and instead of waiting for a slot, they just went home and their mother went to find a tawa-tawa plant, boiled it and had them drink its juice. it was effective. i dont know what grade was their dengue fever at that time but my friend told me that her gums and nose were already bleeding and when they drank the tawa-tawa juice they felt better.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
I believe the testimonies from people who got cured of Dengue are enough proofs that tawa-tawa is a natural cure for illness. Now I don't wonder if DOH is not taking any serious action to research on this. They always want synthetic medicine. In my opinion, there could be a hidden agenda or shall I say personal motive behind this! To me I always want natural cure because it has no bad side effects unlike synthetic medicine that can damage the liver, the kidney and the colon.So if the DOH don't wanna prove then we, ordinary citizens should start cultivating tawa-tawa so that at anytime someone from our family or neighborhood contacted dengue we can always give immediate cure. Now to those who do not know this tawa-tawa plant, I posted a photo.This plant is also called "gatas-gatas" by some natives. This plant is actually growing among the weeds most of the time and I used to consider it weeds before and would pull them out of my garden whenever I see them sprouting. Now I know that I have to rather cultivate them so that they will multiply in my garden.
@vycess (1588)
• Saudi Arabia
23 Aug 11
I don't know this plant but I'm from philippines. It's interesting to know that there is a plant that might fight dengue virus. In implementing a study or research there has many things to do and financial aid, maybe this news might help and DOH might open up or start a research about it. I also watched from the news before that dengue vaccine might be availabe next year. However, if you will compare it to medicinal plant it is not practical and more expensive. People wants a cost-effective solution.
@nytrisco (567)
• Philippines
23 Aug 11
The media started knocking DOH's door about tawa-tawa since 2008 but all they are saying up until now is that the plant needs more study and research. I mean, why didn't they just created a team and funded it in that same year where dengue cases is still low. You're right, people nowadays will be very practical and will go to the cheaper medicine. Thanks for the comment vycess =)
@thetis74 (1525)
•
24 Aug 11
When I went to seminar for a certain wheat grass product the doctor/speaker said almost the same thing. That many has proved that the juice of papaya leaves can cure dengue but the DOH isn't doing anything about it because they are scared. Scared of what? It's very bad because if they exert some efforts on studying on it then it will be much cheaper for the poor Filipino people who are afflicted by this deadly disease. Maybe they are just being lazy.
@voracious (624)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
Grass products are rich in chlorophyll which helps our bone marrow to produce more platelets but it doesn't mean that it's a cure for dengue.
@eLsMarie (4346)
• Philippines
25 Aug 11
I can testify to the remedy that the plant, Tawa-Tawa, can offer. It very beneficial. We had so many Tawa-Tawa plants here in Mindanao and we can find it in the cemetery.
So many years back, I suffered Dengue that almost end my life. I'm on the 50-50 stage. Almost all of the members of the family became so hopeless, even the nurses.
Tawa-Tawa cured me. It took away Dengue. But aside from the plant, I believe that I was cured because of a miracle.
My cousin's also a victim of Dengue and she too can testify to the effectiveness of Tawa-Tawa.
It very beneficial. We had so many Tawa-Tawa plants here in Mindanao and we can find it in the cemetery.
So many years back, I suffered Dengue that almost end my life. I'm on the 50-50 stage. Almost all of the members of the family became so hopeless, even the nurses.
Tawa-Tawa cured me. It took away Dengue. But aside from the plant, I believe that I was cured because of a miracle.
My cousin's also a victim of Dengue and she too can testify to the effectiveness of Tawa-Tawa. 
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
There are two reasons why DOH is not doing anything about the tawa tawa. First, they don't have funding. Second, they don't have the capability. It's either UP or any university or in this case, St luke's who took the initiative to do the research themselves. I guess, with the petri dish samples out in public, companies such as MLMs (multi level marketing) would be coming out with their own health potions containing tawa tawa extract in their product line up.
@pahak627 (4558)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
I can say that "tawa-tawa" plant really cures dengue. I have observed it from my neighbors and friends who had been sick with this disease. They just drunk boiled "tawa-tawa" plants. This is an actual discussion with those who maintained this drink, this plant cures many diseases not only tawa-tawa. I don't know about papaya leaves.
@voracious (624)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
Tawa-Tawa leaves doesn't kill the virus. It has rich in chlorophyll which helps our bone marrow to produce platelets to lessen the effects of dengue in our body.
@Jenith (1381)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
I'm so scared of dengue. Everytime it starts in our place I always spray mosquito repellent in our house. For the outside I make bonfire or anything that produce smoke to scare mosquito.
Tawa-tawa is really effective. All you have to do is just boiled it with water and cool it down before drinking. As simple as that.
For the papaya leaves just pound the leaves and drink the juice. These two were already tested and proven by my neighbors who were infected by this dengue.
Even if you don't know yet that you already have dengue but as soon as you have a very high fever and dengue is already in your place you can take these two meds to prevent it. But make sure that you wash it well before taking it. For papaya leaves wash it well before grounding. For tawa-tawa plant wash it well before boiling and you can only boil the plant once or twice and if you need more, boil the new tawa-tawa plant to avoid complication. It can cause LBM if you boil the same plant over and over again.
@zerd87 (301)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
It is very popular nowadays since we have a large numbers of dengue victims. The "tawa tawa" plant is used to cure dengue according to several people. Lots of herbs claim that it can cure disease but the DOH approve only 10 of them since it was given trials and research. It usually take years and good funding. Maybe the DOH have no funds for now. The DOH focus on the proven treatment for dengue cases.
@goggles213 (735)
• Philippines
25 Aug 11
I think that the DOH is afraid to conduct an experiment because they know that it will be expensive. "Tawa-Tawa" has always been used in the province to combat dengue fever. My Grandfather used to boil the leaves and have us drink them when we have fever.
@enigma13 (372)
• Philippines
24 Aug 11
Sometimes, our government's actions really baffle me. For life threatening cases such as dengue, lack of funding is no excuse. They can release emergency funds for all we care so long as they prove that tawa-tawa or papaya leaves can help patients with dengue. When thousands of Filipinos lives are at stake, they should utilize all possible measures to find a cure and not offer temporary solutions.
