Now, jackfruit is part of ‘leha’ for use as general tonic

An ayurveda product using jackfruit flakes as the main ingredient among other contents has been developed and released for consumption as general tonic.

An ayurveda product using jackfruit flakes as the main ingredient among other contents has been developed and released for consumption as general tonic. The product – Panasa Prasha - developed by the Department of Dravyaguna Vignana (Herbal Farmacology) at Alva’s Ayurveda Medical College, Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada, is probably the first health booster developed using jackfruit.

According to Subrahmanya Bhat Padyana, Head, Department of Dravyaguna Vignana, the product is a ‘leha’ (confection). It contains 42% jackfruit. It means a kilogram of ‘leha’ contains 420 gram of jackfruit. The other ingredients are ‘Ashwagandha’ (Withania somnifera, commonly known as Indian winter cherry), ‘Jeerige’ (cumin), ‘Nannari’ (Hemidesmus indicus), black pepper, honey, and ginger.

Jackfruit is called Panasa in Sanskrit.

Dr. Padyana, who is also the Director of Alva’s Traditional Medicine Archive Research Centre, Moodbidri, told The Hindu that ‘Panasa Prasha’ can be used to prevent recurring cold and asthma. “Its consumption is good for digestion and to maintain respiratory health,” he said, adding that it can be consumed to maintain immunity and as a general tonic.

Dr. Pradyana said that the flakes of local common ‘bakke’ variety of jackfruit (available in Dakshina Kannada) was used to make the ‘leha’. “If the local ‘tuluve’ variety is used, the confection becomes sticky and the product is not consumer friendly,” he said, adding that the department did not use the flakes of red variety of jackfruit (cultivated in the dry belt) to prepare the ‘leha’. “We did not do any research using the red variety of jackfruit,” he said.

He said that the classical text ‘Charaka Samhita’ has mentioned the uses of jackfruit and its seed. It has not mentioned about the products of jackfruit. Based on the text’s reference on uses, the department involved in the research and development and came out with the product.

He said that the product, released recently, had good demand.