Can papaya leaf and black seeds cure HIV?

Hyderabad: A video claiming that black seeds can cure HIV has gone viral on social media.

Papaya fruit, seeds, and leaves are frequently used in a variety of cuisines and folk medicines. Papaya leaf is used as a home remedy for many diseases.

Black seed oil, meanwhile, contains antioxidants and bioactive compounds. It may benefit skin and hair health, help reduce inflammation, and support weight loss. (Source: Healthline)

Can a mixture of these two cure HIV?

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim is a scam (i.e., false).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).”

It added, “There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life.”

CDC further said that with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. “People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners,” it added.

On the effectiveness of using papaya leaves as herbal medicine for various ailments, one study said, “More research studies are required to corroborate the main mechanisms of action shown by the phytochemicals present in papaya leaves as medicinal agents.”

Further, we found an article that has debunked nine HIV cure myths. The first myth is about whether there is a cure for HIV. About that it says, “There is no cure for HIV. There is one documented case of Timothy Ray Brown being cured, but we do not know how to safely replicate those findings in other humans yet.”

Another study concluded, “…the sustained sero-reversion induced by Nigella sativa concoction in this HIV patient means that all HIV cells at all stages in infected cells in the body must have been lysed. Therefore, there is a need to further study more HIV patients on Nigella sativa therapy and its virucidal effect on this pandemic virus.”

Hence, it is evident that neither black seeds nor papaya leaf can cure HIV.