RECENT ADVANCES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DENGUE USING HERBAL REMEDIES-A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Dengue represents a major mosquito-borne viral infection affecting millions worldwide, with management currently limited to supportive care due to the absence of a specific antiviral drug. In recent years, herbal remedies have gained attention as potential adjuncts owing to their antiviral, immunomodulatory, and hematopoietic properties. Carica papaya leaf extract has garnered the most significant clinical evidence, especially in improving platelet recovery and accelerating symptomatic relief. Other botanicals like Momordica charantia, Azadirachta indica, Tinospora cordifolia, Andrographis paniculata, and Glycyrrhiza glabra have also shown promising effects against dengue virus infection in preclinical models, targeting viral replication, immune regulation, and organ protection. However, outside of papaya leaf extract, clinical studies remain scanty and are often fraught with limitations such as small sample sizes, inconsistent formulations, and flimsy safety data. This review provides a fresh look at herbal interventions in the management of dengue, emphasizing their therapeutic potential, limitations, and future scope. Standardized formulations and well-designed clinical trials are crucial to establish herbal remedies as safe and effective adjuncts in the treatment of dengue virus infection.