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Panasa

Artocarpus heterophyllus

Panasa (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a plant drug, also called Panasam, Katahala and Kathal. Jacalin (lectin from seeds) is degraded by digestive proteases with negligible systemic absorption. Flavonoids from fruit show 15-30% bioavailability. Seed starch provides slow-release carbohydrate energy.

Key facts
Botanical nameArtocarpus heterophyllus
FamilyMoraceae · other entries in this family
OrderRosales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2984565 · Wikidata Q45757 · NCBI Taxonomy 3489
Names in other languages
Sanskritपनसम् (panasam)
Hindiकटहल (kaṭahala), Kathal, Kathar, पनस (panasa)
EnglishIndian Jack fruit, Jack-fruit tree
Tamilபலா, Pala
MalayalamChakka
TeluguPanasa
KannadaAlasa, Halasu, Hebba alasu
MarathiPhanasa
BengaliKantal, Katal, Phanas
GujaratiPhanus
UrduKatahal
PunjabiKatahala
OriyaPanasa
AssameseKanthal

Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; Flowers of India, Artocarpus heterophyllus: Sanskrit "पनसम् Panasam"; efloraofindia gives पनसः and पनसम्; Flowers of India, Artocarpus heterophyllus: Tamil "பலா Palaa"; efloraofindia and Flowers of India, Artocarpus heterophyllus: Hindi "कटहल (kat-hal)", FoI "कटहल Katahal, कठल Kathal"; efloraofindia, Artocarpus heterophyllus Hindi list: पनस panas, पूतफल puta-phal, सदाफल sadaphal. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2005 to 2025, every one with a DOI.

  • 4Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 8Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishJackfruit

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Madhura, KashayaPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, SnigdhaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)SheetaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)MadhuraPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Fresh fruit, Dried fruit powder, Seed flour, Capsule (seed extract), Tablet, Jam/preserve, Latex preparation

Standard Dosage: 100-200 g fresh fruit; 5-10 g seed powder daily; 500 mg - 1 g seed extract twice daily

Optimal Timing: Fruit: as a meal or snack, not on empty stomach due to high sugar. Seed powder: with meals. Seed extract supplements: after meals.

Storage: Dried fruit: below 25 deg C, RH <45%, moisture-barrier packaging. Seed flour: refrigerated or below 25 deg C, protect from moisture and oxidation. Extract: airtight, below 25 deg C, protect from light.

Marker Compounds: Artocarpanone, Artocarpesin, Morin, Dihydromorin, Beta-carotene, Lutein, Jacalin (lectin, for identity), Cycloartenone

Synergistic Combinations

  • Amalaki (enhanced antioxidant and vitamin C combination)
  • Haridra (anti-inflammatory food combination)
  • Ela (digestive and flavor enhancement)
  • Nagakesara (traditional Ayurvedic combination for digestive disorders)
  • Coconut (complementary amino acid profile from seed)

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews4

  1. Liu X, Zhang Z, Wang J and others. 2025. Recent developments in Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (jackfruit) polysaccharides: Nutritional values, structural characteristics and health benefitsInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 40203947 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142923
  2. Gupta A, Marquess AR, Pandey AK and others. 2023. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) in health and disease: a critical reviewCritical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID 35144492 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2031094
  3. Ranasinghe RASN, Maduwanthi SDT, Marapana RAUJ. 2019. Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.): A ReviewInternational journal of food science. PMID 30723733 · doi:10.1155/2019/4327183
  4. Akkouh O, Ng TB, Singh SS and others. 2015. Lectins with anti-HIV activity: a reviewMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 25569520 · doi:10.3390/molecules20010648

Laboratory and animal studies8

  1. Gwokyalya R, Nanteza A, Wagaba H and others. 2024. Morphological and genetic characterization of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) in the Kayunga and Luwero districts of UgandaBMC plant biology. PMID 38724929 · doi:10.1186/s12870-024-05064-x
  2. Wang Y, Huang Y, Song L and others. 2024. The characteristic VOCs of different parts of Artocarpus heterophyllus fruit based on HS-SPME-GC-MS and PTR-TOF-MSFood chemistry. PMID 39018618 · doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140431
  3. Dive A, Singhal R, Srivastava S and others. 2023. Isolation and functional characterization of novel isoprene synthase from Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit)3 Biotech. PMID 36573156 · doi:10.1007/s13205-022-03441-7
  4. Iddagoda J, Gunasekara P, Handunnetti S and others. 2023. Identification of allergens in Artocarpus heterophyllus, Moringa oleifera, Trianthema portulacastrum and Syzygium samarangenseClinical and molecular allergy : CMA. PMID 37568224 · doi:10.1186/s12948-023-00187-2
  5. Liu YP, Yu XM, Zhang W and others. 2020. Prenylated chromones and flavonoids from Artocarpus heterophyllus with their potential antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activitiesBioorganic chemistry. PMID 32615467 · doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104030
  6. Gupta AK, Rather MA, Kumar Jha A and others. 2020. Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. and Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Flowers: New Sources of Bioactive CompoundsPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 33050190 · doi:10.3390/plants9101329
  7. Trakunyingcharoen T, Lombard L, Groenewald JZ and others. 2015. Caulicolous Botryosphaeriales from ThailandPersoonia. PMID 26240447 · doi:10.3767/003158515X685841
  8. Wei BL, Weng JR, Chiu PH and others. 2005. Antiinflammatory flavonoids from Artocarpus heterophyllus and Artocarpus communisJournal of agricultural and food chemistry. PMID 15884809 · doi:10.1021/jf047873n

Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.