HERBAL GARDEN

Vivek college of Ayurvedic Sciences & Hospital Bijnor UP

पनस

Classification

Synoyms

Panasa (Sanskrit)
Kathal (Hindi)
Kanthal (Bengali)
Jak (regional)
Jack Tree

Habit

Large, evergreen, fruit-bearing tree.

Habitat

Native to Western Ghats of India, widely cultivated throughout tropical Asia. Found in warm, humid climates up to 1500 m elevation.

Morphology

  • Tree up to 15–20 meters in height
  • Leaves: Simple, glossy, dark green, ovate
  • Flowers: Small, unisexual, borne on trunk or branches
  • Fruits: Large, greenish-yellow, spiky surface; multiple fruit with fleshy bulbs
  • Seeds: Smooth, oval, starchy

Chemical Composition

Carbohydrates (especially in ripe fruit)
Proteins (in seeds)
Vitamins: A, B-complex, C
Tannins
Flavonoids
Phytosterols
Saponins
Lecithin (in seeds)

Guna-Karma

Rasa- Unripe fruit: Kashaya (astringent), Madhura (sweet), Ripe fruit: Madhura (sweet)
Guna–Guru (heavy), Snigdha (unctuous)
Virya- Unripe: Ushna (hot), Ripe: Sheeta (cold)
Vipaka- Madhura (sweet)
Karma- Brimhana, Balya, Grahi, Vrishya, Vranaropaka, Raktaprasadaka
Doshakarma-

  • Unripe fruit: Kapha-Vatahara
  • Ripe fruit: May increase Kapha if taken in excess

    • Medicinal uses

    Unripe fruit: Used in diarrhea, dysentery, digestive weakness.
    Ripe fruit: Nutritive, used in debility, loss of weight, general weakness.
    Seeds: Starch-rich, improve digestion, increase semen, and reduce Vata.
    Bark and latex: Used externally for wound healing.
    Leaves used in skin diseases and boils.
    Useful in cardiac weakness, constipation, and sexual debility.

    Useful Part

    Fruit (ripe/unripe), Seed, Leaf, Bark, Latex

    Doses

    Unripe fruit decoction: 50–100 ml
    Seed powder: 3–6 g
    Fruit pulp: As diet supplement
    Bark paste: External use
    Latex: External use (in small amount)

    Important Formulation

    Panasa Ksheera Paak
    Panasa Beeja Churna

    Shloka

    पनसस्तु गुरु स्वादुः स्थूलः पित्तविवर्धनः।
    वातश्लेष्महरः पाके रूक्षः कषायको गुणः॥ (भावप्रकाश निघण्टु – फलवर्ग)

    Hindi Name​

    कटहल / पनस

    English Name

    Jackfruit

    Botanical Name

    Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

    Family

    Moraceae