Hermetica Superfood Encyclopedia
Legacy index-continuity record: the score and narrative are provisional and must not be represented as validated or human-approved.
Review flags: CLAIM_LEVEL_HUMAN_REVIEW_REQUIRED
Ziziphus jujuba fruit and Ziziphus spinosa seed are different evidence entities. Human research located for jujube fruit concerns metabolic markers, not sleep; sleep findings from Z. spinosa seed must not be assigned to this fruit page.
Origin & History
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) is a deciduous tree native to China, cultivated throughout Asia for millennia, with its fruit, seeds, leaves, and pulp used in traditional medicine. The bioactive compounds are typically extracted using solvent methods like methanol or ethanol, followed by chromatographic purification, yielding polyphenolic and triterpenoid compounds including flavonoids, terpenoids, organic acids, alkaloids, and polysaccharides.
Research Narrative (Provisional)
The identity-matched human source is a 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of jujube fruit and metabolic outcomes (PMID 40399274). The often-cited insomnia feasibility trial used Ziziphus spinosa seed, a different species and plant part, so it is intentionally excluded from this page's evidence list.
Preparation & Dosage
Dosage guidance is withheld because the publication gate has not recorded adequate support for this profile.
Nutritional Profile
Fresh jujube fruit (per 100g): Carbohydrates 20-30g (primarily fructose and glucose), Dietary fiber 2-3.7g (mix of soluble and insoluble), Protein 1.2-1.9g, Fat 0.2-0.5g, Water content 77-85g. Dried jujube (per 100g): Carbohydrates concentrate to 60-80g, Fiber 6-8g, Protein 3-5g. Key micronutrients: Vitamin C 69-531mg per 100g fresh weight (notably high, comparable to citrus; degrades significantly upon drying to ~13mg/100g dried), Potassium 250-320mg, Phosphorus 23-26mg, Calcium 21-30mg, Magnesium 10-13mg, Iron 0.48-1.8mg, Zinc 0.05-0.1mg, Riboflavin (B2) 0.04mg, Niacin (B3) 0.9mg, Thiamine (B1) 0.02mg. Primary bioactive compounds: Triterpenoids including betulinic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid (0.1-0.9% dry weight); Polysaccharides (ZSPs) 5-10% dry weight — primary immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective agents with molecular weights ranging 10-2000 kDa; Flavonoids including rutin (0.16-0.67mg/g dry weight), quercetin, kaempferol, and spinosin; Saponins including jujubosides A and B (0.01-0.05% dry weight) — key sedative/anxiolytic compounds; Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) 100-500 nmol/g fresh weight — unusually high concentration among fruits; Phenolic acids including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic acid totaling 1-5mg/g dry weight; Alkaloids including stepharine and magnoflorine in trace amounts (<0.1%). Bioavailability notes: Polysaccharide bioavailability is gut-microbiota dependent, undergoing fermentation in the colon; Vitamin C bioavailability is comparable to synthetic ascorbic acid; Triterpenoid absorption is enhanced by co-consumption with lipids due to lipophilic nature; Spinosin and jujubosides demonstrate blood-brain barrier permeability in animal models, supporting CNS-related traditional uses; Drying and processing significantly reduces Vitamin C and some polyphenol content but concentrates sugars, fiber, and heat-stable triterpenoids.
Reported Mechanism (Provisional)
Jujube's triterpenic acids and saponins modulate GABAergic neurotransmission by enhancing GABA receptor activity, promoting sedative effects. The fruit's flavonoids and phenolic compounds neutralize free radicals through electron donation, demonstrating DPPH scavenging activity of 1.32-5.82 mg AsAE g⁻¹ fresh weight. These antioxidant mechanisms also support cellular protection through ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) pathways.
Clinical Narrative (Provisional)
The page is restricted to Ziziphus jujuba fruit. Evidence for Z. spinosa seed, traditional formulas or unspecified 'jujube extract' is not transferred across identities.
Also Known As
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