KJC Medicinal Garden

Our Collections | Medical Plants | Herbal Plants

Halasina mara
Artocarpus integer


Order: Rosales
Family:Moraceae
Genus:Artocarpus
Species: A.integer
Common Names: Cempedak,Cempedak,Chempedak Utan,Bangkong,Borah
Native to Southeast Asia

Other plants of the same genus with medicinal properties

    Artocarpus altilis (breadfruit)
    Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit)
    Artocarpus parvus (Kwai Muk)
    Artocarpus lakoocha( Lakoocha)
    Artocarpus kemando( Pudau)
    Artocarpus hirsutus( Anjily)
Morphology:
  • An evergreen tree growing to about 20m (65ft) by 20m (65ft) at a slow rate.
  • Leaves: Its stalked, alternate leaves are obovate to elliptic, covered with thin and stiff brown hairs, 5-25 cm long and 2.5-12 cm wide.
  • Trunk: its bumpy in appearance and bark is greyish brown in colour.
  • Flowers: monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers on the same tree. The flowers are borne on solitary stalked inflorescences that can be at the leaf axils, on the tree trunk or on the branches. The male flowering head - cylindrical in shape, 3-5.5 cm long and 1 cm wide, colour- yellowish white . The female flowering head –similar to that of the male flowering head, but with distinct filamentous styles on it.
  • Fruit: cylindrical to almost round in shape, 20-35 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, yellowish-green to brown in colour when ripe, emitting a pungent smell. The outer layer of the fruit is thick, leathery and somewhat bumpy. The seeds are covered by an orange aril that tastes sweet and pungent.

Uses in Tradition systems of medicine

  • Used in treating inflammation
  • Malarial fever
  • Diarrhea
  • Seeds improve digestion and cholesterol levels
  • The leaves help in fighting diabetes, lung and chest diseases and internal bruising.
Nutritional Properties
  • Calories: 155
  • Carbohydrates: 40 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams
  • Vitamin A: 10% of the RDI
  • Vitamin C: 18% of the RDI
  • Riboflavin: 11% of the RDI
  • Magnesium: 15% of the RDI
  • Potassium: 14% of the RDI
  • Copper: 15% of the RDI
  • Manganese: 16% of the RDI

Suggested Medicinal Properties

  • Antidiabetic
  • Anticarcinogenic
  • Antimicrobial
  • Antifungal
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Hypoglycemic effects
  • Prevents constipation
  • Ulcer healing activity
  • Antioxidants
  • Prevent eye problems like cataract
  • Cardioprotective
  • Wound healing activity

Active Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals in general are natural bioactive compounds found in plants that work with nutrients and fibers to act as a defence system against disease. Plants are considered as biosynthetic laboratory for a multitude of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, polyphenols, volatile oil, tannins etc. The presence of saponin in higher quantities was observed in Artocarpus integer seed and it has been known for their medicinal uses, including antispasmodic activity and toxicity to cancer. Bioactive compounds such as sterols and anthraquinones were present in acetone and chloroform extracts of A.integer seeds. The present study revealed the presence of phytochemicals such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, phenol, flavonoids, phytosterols, coumarins and saponins. Phenols and flavonoids are reported to have antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties.After the phytochemical analysis in Artocarpus integer was done the highest total phenolic content was reported from 125 μg/ml of ethyl acetate fraction and the total flavonoid content estimated from acetone extract of jackfruit seed was 290.6 ± 3.41 μg/mg and that from dichloromethane:methanol:1:1 extract was 457.1 ± 5.82 μg/mg .

References

Sreeja Devi, P. S., Kumar, N. S., & Sabu, K. K. (2021). Phytochemical profiling and antioxidant activities of different parts of Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lam. (Moraceae): A review on current status of knowledge. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-021-00178-7

NParks: Artocarpus integer. National Parks Board. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/3/3309.

Artocarpus integer (prosea). Artocarpus integer (PROSEA) - PlantUse English. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Artocarpus_integer_(PROSEA).

Moraceae - World Agroforestry Centre. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from http://apps.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Artocarpus_integer.PDF.