The use of complementary and alternative medicine to promote personal health is gradually gaining popularity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Ripe Carica papaya (pawpaw) fruit has a delicious sweet taste due to its high content of fructose. Vernonia amygdalina (VA) leaf extract produced excellent anti-obesity7, 8, 9 and skin colour-lightening, body calming and enhanced vitality effects 7 due to its bitter taste. This study investigated the difference Carica papaya fruit extract would make to the skin colour, anti-obesity, body calming and body Vitality effects of VA leaf extract when its extract is mixed with VA leaf extract. A two weeks oral treatment with VA leaf extract was taken by a subject. Ground peeled ripe Carica papaya fruit (endocarp) was extracted in the same water which was extracting VA leaves. A two week oral treatment with this combination of VA and Carica papaya extract was taken after the 2 weeks treatment with oral VA leaf extract. The combined VA and Carica papaya extract was taken in the same dosage regimen in which VA leaf extract was taken. The effects of the leaf extract alone and the effects of the combined VA leaf and Carica papaya extract on the subject’s skin colour, skin smoothness, skin firmness, skin wrinkles and skin blemishes removal; body calmness and body vitality were captured in photographs of the subject. A comparism of the effects of VA leaf extract alone and those of the combination therapy with VA leaf extract and Carica papaya extract shows that Carica papaya fruit extract had a potentiating effect on the skin lightening, skin smoothening, skin firming, skin wrinkles and blemishes-removal; body calming and body vitalizing effects of VA leaf extract by acting on the same receptors VA leaf extract acted on to bring about these skin and body effects. These skin; body calming and body vitalizing effects obtained in this study are suggested to be as a result of a combination of the anti-oxidant effects of VA leaf extract and the anti-oxidant effects of Carica papaya fruit extract.
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