Suan Zao Ren - Zizyphus spinosa

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Suan Zao Ren
 
 Latin
Semen Zizyphus jujuba
 Introduction Back to Top
Semen Zizyphus jujuba is officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as the dried ripe seed of Zizyphus jujuba Mill. Var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F. Chou (Fam Rhamnaceae). The ripe fruit is collected in later autumn and early winter. The drug is collected and removed from the pulp and shell (endocarp) and dried in the sun. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is used as a sedative and a tonic.
 Western medical Back to Top
Insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, palpitations, irritability, hyperhidrosis, and thirst.
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Nourishes heart and liver.
  • Properties: Sweet, sour neutral.
  • Channels Entered: Heart, spleen, liver, gallbladder.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
Z. jujuba is a plant containing a great variety of chermical compounds. Saponins, alkaloids, flavone C-glycosides, vitamins, sugars, cyclic nucleotides and other compounds have been isolated and identified.
Z. jujuba also contains triterpenoids betulin and betulic acid, and a large amount of fixed oil (31.8%).
Relatively high amount of the cyclic nucleotides adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosin-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) were found.
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Sedative and hypnotic effect

Z. jujuba has been reported to have excellent sedative and hypnotic effects. A study showed that Z. jujuba influenced the higher nervous activites; it markedly decreased the frequency of conditioned avoidance reflex in mice. It caused the spreading of internal inhibition, eliminated the conditioned reflexes and prolonged the latent period of nonconditioned reflex.

The flavone C- glycosides swertisin, spinosin, and the acylspinosins isolated from Z. jujuba was found to exhibit a mild sedative activity in animal experiments. Of the flavones, swertisin showed the highest sedative activity.

Anticonvulsant, analgesic and hypothermic effect

The soluable extract has been shown to greatly reduce the convulsion rate and mortality rate of animals given the ED50 of pentylenetetrazole for inducing convulsion. Intraperitoneal injections of decoctions of Z. jujuba had a definite analgesic effect in mice as measured by sensitivity to heat.

Cardiovascular effect

Intravenous injection of Z. jujuba decoction promptly caused a drastic and prolonged hypotension in aenesthetized dogs. In rats with experimental renal hypertension, the stir-fried herb 20-30 g/kg given ad lib before or on the next day of operation also produced marked reduction in blood pressure. The leaf of Z. jujuba could improve myocardial ischemia and increase the tolerance of myocardium to hypoxia.
 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Neurasthenia and Insomnia

There are many reports available regarding the use of Z. jujuba in the management of neurasthenia and insomnia with palpitations. Insomnia was improved in 209 cases of neurathenia with Z. jujuba as the main therapeutic agent.

Schizophenia

Z. jujuba in combination with other herbs was used in the treatment of schizophrenia. This treatment was effective in curing 27 cases (15 female and 12 male).
 
 References Back to Top

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998