Botanical and Traditional Uses and Phytochemical, Pharmacological, Pharmacokinetic, and Toxicological Characteristics of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen: A Review

Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZS, the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou) is used as a traditional Chinese medicine referred to as Suan zao ren (酸枣仁). This paper aims to provide a systematic review of its traditional uses and its botanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological characteristics. The future development and research prospects for ZS have also been discussed in detail. To date, over 150 compounds have been identified in this plant, including terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, fatty acids, volatile oils, polysaccharides, and others. Both extracts and purified compounds have excellent biological activities, especially sedative and hypnotic effects. Other effects include ameliorating effect of learning and memory, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, blood pressure and lipid lowering, antiaging, and antitumor effects. Thus, this traditional Chinese medicine can be used to treat many diseases such as insomnia, forgetfulness, headaches, and dizziness. Although many of the traditional uses of ZS are well established, the relationship between structure and function still needs to be further studied. In order to better pave the way for research and the establishment of quality control standards for ZS, it will be very important to elucidate its pharmacological mechanisms of action and explore new clinical effects.

[1]  Junbo Xie,et al.  6‴-Feruloylspinosin alleviated beta-amyloid induced toxicity by promoting mitophagy in Caenorhabditis elegans (GMC101) and PC12 cells. , 2020, The Science of the total environment.

[2]  Junbo Xie,et al.  The effect of ultrasound assisted extraction on structural composition, antioxidant activity and immunoregulation of polysaccharides from Ziziphus jujuba Mill var. spinosa seeds , 2018, Industrial Crops and Products.

[3]  R. Gupta,et al.  Antiulcer And Antioxidant Potential Of Zizyphus jujuba Mill Root Extract In Aspirin And Ethanol Induced Gastric Ulcers. , 2016 .

[4]  Minfeng Fang,et al.  [Pharmacokinetic effect of combined administration on spinosin and ferulic acid in monarch drug Ziziphi Spinosae Semen kernel]. , 2015, Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica.

[5]  Ruijie Chen,et al.  Development and validation of an UPLC-MS/MS method for determination of jujuboside B in rat plasma and its application in pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies , 2015 .

[6]  Junbo Xie,et al.  Hplc-ESI-MS/MS analysis of the water-soluble extract from Ziziphi spinosae semen and its ameliorating effect of learning and memory performance in mice , 2014, Pharmacognosy magazine.

[7]  Dong Hyun Kim,et al.  Ethanolic Extract of the Seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment Induced by Cholinergic Blockade in Mice , 2013, Biomolecules & therapeutics.

[8]  Qing-Han Gao,et al.  The jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) fruit: a review of current knowledge of fruit composition and health benefits. , 2013, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[9]  Y. Min.  Methanol Extract of Zizyphi Spinosi Semen Increases the REM Sleep of Daytime Associated Modulation Mechanism , 2013 .

[10]  Jiang Li,et al.  Toxicological safety study of gastrodiae rhizoma-semen ziziphi spinosae capsule. , 2013 .

[11]  Xiao-tao Huang,et al.  An LC-MS/MS method for determination of jujuboside A in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies. , 2012, Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences.

[12]  Liang Jin-mei.  Antidepressant effect of total saponins from Semen Ziziphi Spinosae , 2011 .

[13]  W. Ying.  Study on the antidepressant effect of total flavonoids from Semen Ziziphi Spinosae , 2011 .

[14]  Liang Pei-yu.  Study on the effect of sedative and hypnotic of Spina Date Seed on mice , 2011 .

[15]  A. Bhatia,et al.  Augmentation of expression of immunocytes' functions by seed extract of Ziziphus mauritiana (Lamk.). , 2010, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[16]  Li Yingchao,et al.  Studies on the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of Suanzaoren solution , 2010 .

[17]  Wang Kai-wei.  Studies on the chemical constituents of the Seeds of Zizyphus jujuba Mill , 2009 .

[18]  Q. Wei.  Study on the antidepressant effect of active fraction from Semen Zizyphi Spinosae , 2009 .

[19]  T. Hasuma,et al.  Combination of Zizyphus jujuba and green tea extracts exerts excellent cytotoxic activity in HepG2 cells via reducing the expression of APRIL. , 2009, The American journal of Chinese medicine.

[20]  Ying Cui,et al.  [Effects of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae on the anxiety behavior of the yin deficiency mice]. , 2008, Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials.

[21]  W. Jian.  Chemical Constituents from the Seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var.spinosa , 2008 .

[22]  Jian-Guo Jiang,et al.  Comparison of the sedative and hypnotic effects of flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides extracted from Semen Ziziphus jujube , 2007, Natural product research.

[23]  W. Li-li.  Research on Sedative and Hypnotic Effect of Long Gu and Suan Zao Ren , 2007 .

[24]  T. Hasuma,et al.  Mechanism of the anti-cancer activity of Zizyphus jujuba in HepG2 cells. , 2007, The American journal of Chinese medicine.

[25]  Ma Li.  Physicochemical properties and fatty acid compositions of jujube kernel oil , 2006 .

[26]  C. Sen.  Comparative Studies on the Sedative and Hypnotic Effect of the Crude and Processed Semen of Ziziphi Spinosa, and the Effect of Total Flavonoid and Saponin , 2005 .

[27]  Xiaoxiang Zheng,et al.  Inhibitory Effect of Jujuboside A on Glutamate-Mediated Excitatory Signal Pathway in Hippocampus , 2003, Planta medica.

[28]  S. Amos,et al.  Effect of Zizyphus spina-christi Willd aqueous extract on the central nervous system in mice. , 2002, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[29]  X. Zheng,et al.  Inhibitory effect of jujuboside A on penicillin sodium induced hyperactivity in rat hippocampal CA1 area in vitro. , 2001, Acta pharmacologica Sinica.

[30]  Y. Lee,et al.  Anxiolytic effect of seed of Ziziphus jujuba in mouse models of anxiety. , 2000, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[31]  Z. Peng,et al.  [Protective effect of semen Ziziphi spinosae on superoxide dismutase reduction in mice with endotoxin fever]. , 1995, Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica.

[32]  L. Li,et al.  [Effects of semen Ziziphis Spinosae oil and Ziziphis Spinosae extract on the decrease of serum lipoprotein and inhibiton of platelet aggregation]. , 1991, Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica.

[33]  Y. Han,et al.  Cyclic peptide and peptide alkaloids from seeds ofZizyphus vulgaris , 1990 .

[34]  Jeong-Hill Park,et al.  Chemical and pharmacological studies on sedative cyclopeptide alkaloids in some Rhamnaceae plants , 1989 .

[35]  H. Wagner,et al.  The structure of spinosin (2′'-O-β-glucosylswertisin) from Zizyphus vulgaris var. Spinosus☆ , 1979 .

[36]  T. Akiyama,et al.  The structure of jujubosides A and B, the saponins isolated from the seeds of Zizyphus jujuba , 1978 .