Jackfruit originates in the East, possibly in India, and was introduced in Brazil by the Portuguese (1). The fruit is edible and the species is traditionally known for several medicinal applications - especially in Asia. Extracts of Artocarpus heterophyllus have shown a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity (2). In various studies, particular flavonoids were found to have anti-inflammatory (3) and antioxidant properties (4). Flavonoids isolated from the wood have furthermore demonstrated inhibitive activity of melanin production in melanoma cells (5,6).

(1) Ferrao, JEM (1993) 2nd edition, The Adventure of Plants and the Portuguese Discoveries. EU: 247 p.

(2) Khan MR, Omoloso AD, Kihara M (2003) Antibacterial activity of Artocarpus heterophyllus. Fitoterapia 74(5): 501-5

(3) Wei BL, Weng JR, Chiu PH, Hung CF, Wang JP, Lin CN (2005) Anti-inflammatory flavonoids from Artocarpus heterophyllus and Artocarpus communis. J Agric Food Chem 53(10): 3867-71

(4) Ko FN, Cheng ZJ, Lin CN, Teng CM (1998) Scavenger and antioxidant properties of prenylflavones isolated from Artocarpus heterophyllus. Free Radic Biol Med 25(2): 160-8

(5) Arung ET, Shimizu K, Kondo R (2006) Inhibitory effect of isoprenoid-substituted flavonoids isolated from Artocarpus heterophyllus on melanin biosynthesis. Planta Med 72(9): 847-50

(6) Arung ET, Shimizu K, Kondo R (2006) Inhibitory effect of artocarpanone from Artocarpus heterophyllus on melanin biosynthesis. Biol Pharm Bull 29(9): 1966-9