ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS

Common name: Jackfruit, Jackfruit tree • Hindi: कटहल Katahal, कठल Kathal • Manipuri: থৈবোং Theibong • Marathi: फणस Phanas • Tamil: பலா Palaa • Malayalam: ചക്ക Chakka • Telugu: పనస Panas •Kannada: Halasina hannu • Bengali: কাঁঠাল Kathal • Oriya: ପନସ Panas • Sanskrit: पनसम् Panasam •Kuki: Lamphong

Botanical name: Artocarpus heterophyllus   

Family: Moraceae (Mulberry family)

Synonyms: Artocarpus integer, Artocarpus integrifolia, Artocarpus jaca

Introduction

Jackfruit is a tree which is unique in the fact that it produced huge fruits directly from its stem. Jackfruit is most probably native of the rain-forests of the Western Ghats. In fact, the name Jackfruit is derived from the malayalam name chakka. The tree is handsome and stately, 30-70 ft tall, with evergreen, alternate, glossy, somewhat leathery leaves to 9 in long, oval on mature trees, sometimes oblong or deeply lobed on young shoots. All parts contain a sticky, white latex. Short, stout flowering twigs emerge from the trunk and large branches, or even from the soil-covered base of very old trees. Tiny male flowers are borne in oblong clusters 2-4 in in length; the female flower clusters are elliptic or rounded. Largest of all tree-borne fruits, the jackfruit may be 8-to 3 ft long and 6-20 in wide, and the weight ranges from 10-50 kg. The "rind' or exterior of the compound or aggregate fruit is green or yellow when ripe and composed of numerous hard, cone-like points attached to a thick and rubbery, pale yellow or whitish wall. The interior consists of large "bulbs" of yellow, banana-flavored flesh, massed among narrow ribbons of thin, tough undeveloped perianths, and a central, pithy core. Each bulb encloses a smooth, oval, light-brown "seed" covered by a thin white membrane. There may be 100 or up to 500 seeds in a single fruit. When fully ripe, the unopened jackfruit emits a strong disagreeable odor, resembling that of decayed onions, while the pulp of the opened fruit smells of pineapple and banana.

Chemical constituents: (+)- all-trans-lutein (24-44%), all-trans-beta-carotene (24-30%), all-trans-neoxanthin (4-19%), 9-cis-neoxanthin (4-19%), 9-cis-violaxanthin (4-10%)

Medicinal uses

The leaves of jackfruit tree are useful for curing fever, boils and skin diseases. When heated, they prove useful in curing wounds.The latex of the fruit is helpful in treating dysopia, opthalmities and pharyngitis. The latex can also be mixed with vinegar to heal abscesses, snakebites and glandular swellings. The wood of jackfruit tree is widely used in manufacturing musical instruments, furniture, doors, windows and roof constructions.The seed starch is useful in relieving biliousness, while the roasted seeds are regarded as aphrodisiac.To heal ulcers, the ash of jackfruit leaves is burnt with corn and coconut shells and used either alone or mixed with coconut oil.The root of jackfruit tree forms the remedy for skin diseases, fever and diarrhea.The heartwood of the tree is used by Buddhist forest monastics in Southeast Asia, for dying the robes of the monks to light brown color.In China, the pulp and seeds of jackfruit are considered as a cooling and nutritious tonic. The fruit is useful in overcoming the influence of alcohol on a person’s body system.

Caution

·         The wood of jackfruit tree has sedative properties, due to which its pith can result in abortion.

·         Jackfruit can increase coagulation.

·         People who are allergic to birch pollen can show signs of allergy towards jackfruit.