Background
- Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), which refers to both a species of tree and its fruit, is native to southwestern India and Sri Lanka. Jackfruit was reportedly cultivated for food as early as the 6 Century BC in India. At approximately 25 centimeters in diameter, jackfruit is reportedly the largest tree-borne fruit in the world. The fruit juices are extremely sticky, so people often oil their hands before preparing the fruit.
- The fruit can be ingested while the wood is used for furniture and musical instruments. Recent laboratory studies show that lectins found in jackfruit and its seeds may have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and immunostimulative properties. However, clinical study is lacking. The currently available research examines the role of jackfruit leaves in increasing glucose tolerance. More studies in humans are needed to define jackfruit's potential role in diabetes.
References
Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to . Selected references are listed below.
- Barua AG, Boruah BR. Minerals and functional groups present in the jackfruit seed: a spectroscopic investigation. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2004;55(6):479-483.
View Abstract - Blasco E, Ngoc LD, Aucouturier P, et al. Mitogenic activity of new lectins from seeds of wild Artocarpus species from Vietnam. C.R.Acad.Sci III 1996;319(5):405-409.
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View Abstract - Fernando MR, Wickramasinghe N, Thabrew MI, et al. Effect of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Asteracanthus longifolia on glucose tolerance in normal human subjects and in maturity-onset diabetic patients. J Ethnopharmacol 1991;31(3):277-282.
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View Abstract - Kabir S, Daar AS. The composition and properties of jacalin, a lectin of diverse applications obtained from the jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds. Immunol Invest 1994;23(3):167-188.
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View Abstract - Pineau N, Aucouturier P, Brugier JC, et al. Jacalin: a lectin mitogenic for human CD4 T lymphocytes. Clin Exp Immunol 1990;80(3):420-425.
View Abstract - Ratnasooriya WD, Jayakody JR. Artocarpus heterophyllus seeds inhibits sexual competence but not fertility of male rats. Indian J Exp Biol 2002;40(3):304-308.
View Abstract - Sujathan K, Kannan S, Remani P, et al. Differential expression of jackfruit-lectin-specific glycoconjugates in metastatic adenocarcinoma and reactive mesothelial cells-a diagnostic aid in effusion cytology. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 1996;122(7):433-436.
View Abstract - Tachibana K, Nakamura S, Wang H, et al. Elucidation of binding specificity of Jacalin toward O-glycosylated peptides: quantitative analysis by frontal affinity chromatography. Glycobiology 2006;16(1):46-53.
View Abstract - Trindade MB, Lopes JL, Soares-Costa A, et al. Structural characterization of novel chitin-binding lectins from the genus Artocarpus and their antifungal activity. Biochim.Biophys Acta 2006;1764(1):146-152.
View Abstract - Wetprasit N, Threesangsri W, Klamklai N, et al. Jackfruit lectin: properties of mitogenicity and the inhibition of herpesvirus infection. Jpn.J Infect.Dis 2000;53(4):156-161.
View Abstract - Wuthrich B, Borga A, Yman L. Oral allergy syndrome to a jackfruit (Artocarpus integrifolia). Allergy 1997;52(4):428-431.
View Abstract