Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus): A Comprehensive Patent Review

Background: Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) having an impressive array of nutrients is one of the potential functional foods being studied by the researchers worldwide in recent times. While the ancient fruit is widely consumed as fresh fruit, its other parts are reported for their diverse therapeutic activity as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, and as immune-modulator. Methods: An extensive search was conducted to review the patent information on jackfruit and its bioactive constituents using various patent databases spanning all priority years till date. Results: Analysis of the patent data reveals that jackfruit and its bioactive constituents find application in diverse industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food including beverages and nutraceuticals, as well as agrochemicals, plant breeding and in the paper industry. Approximately twenty-three patents are identified which focus on the treatment of various therapeutic conditions, and another fifteen patents disclose the use of jackfruit as an ingredient in cosmetic compositions. The review also includes the clinical studies of the drugs containing natural actives that can be isolated from the jackfruit tree. Conclusion: The detailed research on the patent information presented herein focused on the activity of the compositions containing jackfruit extract and isolated phytochemicals would assist researchers to understand the mechanisms by which the bio-chemicals exert their effect and the overall nutritional benefits. An increase in the number of publications and patents in recent years related to the use of jackfruit for different health conditions clearly emphasizes its therapeutic potential and importance as medicinal food products and cosmetics.