Lakuca: Traditional Uses, Evidence & Safety

TL;DR

Lakuca is Artocarpus lakoocha, a Moraceae tree whose heartwood is rich in oxyresveratrol. Ayurveda uses the astringent fruit for digestion and as a liver tonic. The modern record is unusually strong for a traditional herb. A human trial showed its heartwood extract reduced skin melanin over 12 weeks. Laboratory studies confirm anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. The catch: the human evidence is about skin-lightening, not the Ayurvedic digestive uses.

What it is

Lakuca (Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb., syn. A. lacucha), family Moraceae, is a tree of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, related to jackfruit and breadfruit. The fruit is eaten; the heartwood is the medicinal part in Thai traditional medicine, where the plant is called Ma-haad.

The chemistry is dominated by one compound: oxyresveratrol (trans-2,3′,4,5′-tetrahydroxystilbene), a stilbene polyphenol comprising 70–80% of the heartwood extract (JAPS, 2025). Most of the pharmacology below traces back to it.

Traditional use

Ayurveda describes the fruit as astringent and uses it to improve digestion and as a liver tonic (yakrituttejaka). In Thai traditional medicine, the heartwood preparation Ma-haad is a traditional remedy (Int J Mol Sci, 2020).

Rasa-panchaka per the batch data: sour and astringent tastes (Amla, Kashaya), heavy quality (Guru), hot potency (Ushna), sour post-digestive effect (Amla vipaka). It pacifies Kapha and Pitta and aggravates Vata. Traditional claims. And note the mismatch coming in the research section: none of the modern studies tested digestion or liver function.

What modern research says

Skin-lightening (human trial)

The standout study: A. lakoocha heartwood extract was tested for tyrosinase inhibition in vitro (IC50 0.76 µg/mL for the extract, 0.83 for oxyresveratrol). It was then tested in female human volunteers in a parallel trial with self-control (n=20 per group). A 0.25% solution applied twice daily produced significant melanin reduction from week 4, faster than the 3% kojic acid and 0.25% licorice comparators. Maximum effect came at week 12 (human trial, Int J Cosmetic Science, 2008). A 0.1% lotion produced significant whitening on arms and cheeks within 2–3 weeks (PubMed 18489267).

A genuine human trial with a positive result. Its limits: cosmetic endpoint, topical use, small groups, 12 weeks.

Anti-inflammatory effects (in vitro)

Ethanolic A. lakoocha extract reduced LPS-induced production of IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, and nitric oxide in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. It attenuated NF-κB activation and Akt phosphorylation (in vitro study, Int J Molecular Sciences, 2020) (PMC7072914). Mechanistic support for the anti-inflammatory reputation. Cell culture, not people.

Antibacterial activity (in vitro)

Oxyresveratrol isolated from A. lakoocha showed antibacterial activity against Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis in disk-diffusion assays. It also showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in human skin cells (in vitro study, J Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 2025) (abstract).

Pharmacokinetics (animal study)

Oral oxyresveratrol in rats showed absolute bioavailability of only about 10–15%, with rapid absorption and mostly urinary excretion of conjugates within 12 hours (animal study) (PMC6720094). Relevant because it tempers expectations for internal use: most of an oral dose never reaches the bloodstream.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

The Ayurvedic digestive and liver-tonic uses have no direct modern study behind them. The human evidence concerns topical skin-lightening only. Nothing supports internal use for liver or digestive complaints.

Safety & contraindications

No human safety data for internal Ayurvedic use of Lakuca were identified. Oxyresveratrol showed no mutagenic activity at 5–100 µg/mL in vitro, and the topical trial reported no safety concerns over 12 weeks. But topical safety is not internal safety. There are no data on pregnancy, breastfeeding, or drug interactions. The low oral bioavailability cuts both ways: less systemic exposure, but also less reason to expect internal effects.

FAQs

What is Lakuca?

Lakuca is Artocarpus lakoocha, a Moraceae tree related to jackfruit. Ayurveda uses its astringent fruit for digestion and as a liver tonic; its heartwood is rich in the stilbene oxyresveratrol.

Does Lakuca lighten skin?

In one human trial, a 0.25% heartwood-extract solution applied twice daily significantly reduced skin melanin from week 4, outperforming kojic acid and licorice comparators (PubMed 18489267). Topical, cosmetic, small trial: real but narrow evidence.

Does research support Lakuca for digestion or the liver?

No. The modern studies tested skin-lightening, inflammation in cell culture, and antibacterial activity. The traditional digestive and liver-tonic uses are unstudied.

Is Lakuca safe to take internally?

Unknown. No human safety data exist for internal use. Oxyresveratrol was non-mutagenic in lab tests and has low oral bioavailability in rats, but neither establishes human safety.

Our editorial rule requires a pharmacopoeial or clinical-trial dose. None exists for internal use, so we state none.

Annotated Sources

The human skin-lightening trial is the International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2008 paper: in-vitro tyrosinase IC50 values and the 12-week volunteer trial of 0.25% extract and 0.1% lotion (PubMed 18489267). The macrophage anti-inflammatory study is International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21(4), 2020 (PMC7072914). The acne-bacteria study is Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 15(11), 2025 (abstract). The pharmacokinetic data (10–15% oral bioavailability in rats, non-mutagenic at 5–100 µg/mL) come from the comparative pharmacokinetics study (PMC6720094).

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Lakuca's traditional digestive and liver uses have no human-trial support; the human evidence concerns topical skin-lightening only. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.