The Zizyphus jujuba tree originated in China where it has been cultivated for several thousand years. Now, the Zizyphus jujuba tree can be found around the globe, including the southwestern part of the United States. The fresh Zizyphus jujuba fruit is highly desired by many cultures and available in Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indian stores. Zizyphus jujuba date has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia.

Historical use
Zizyphus jujuba is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety. Zizyphus jujuba is promoted as having a calming effects. In China, Zizyphus jujuba is known as Suan Zao Ren.

What's in Zizyphus jujuba herb?
A number of compounds are present in Zizyphus jujuba, including saponins, jujubosides and triterpenoic acids.

Good Night Rx with Zizyphus jujuba extract for sleep

Suggested Use: Take one capsule of Good Night Rx two to three hours before sleep on an empty stomach. Good Night Rx does not work as well when taken with food.

 

Purchase Good Night Rx or find out the full list of active ingredients

Sedative and sleep aid
It appears that the saponins in Zizyphus jujuba herb are the main active ingredients in terms of sedation.

Separation and purification of saponins from Semen Ziziphus jujuba and their sedative and hypnotic effects.
J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007. College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
Saponins from Zizyphus jujuba herb were tested on animals and found to have sedative properties.

Comparison of the sedative and hypnotic effects of flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides extracted from Semen Ziziphus.
Nat Prod Res. 2007. College of Food, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
We investigated and compared the sedative and hypnotic effects of three kinds of compounds, flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides. Flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides were extracted from Zizyphus jujuba herb and orally administered to mice separately. Results show that flavonoids and saponins caused a significant reduction of walking time and coordinated movement ability of mouse, significantly prolonged its sleeping time. Comparative analysis showed that saponins had a more effective sedative and hypnotic function than that of flavonoids, polysaccharides did not show a sedative and hypnotic effect.

Anti-inflammatory benefit
Anti-inflammatory activity of seed essential oil from Zizyphus jujuba.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2010; Department of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Kyoungsan, Kyoungbook, Republic of Korea.
This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of essential oil from seeds of Zizyphus jujuba on TPA-induced skin inflammation in experimental mice. Exposure of TPA on the ear of the BALB/c mice caused a marked increase in both ear thickness and skin water content. The ear thickness was measured for TPA-induced ear was 0.54 mm, as compared to control (0.23 mm). Treatment with 1% and 10% of essential oil caused significant decrease in ear thicknesses which were measured to be 0.30 and 0.35 mm, as well as reduce the water content about 51% and 53% in the TPA-induced skin inflammation model, respectively. Furthermore, histological analysis clearly confirmed that Z. jujuba essential oil inhibited the inflammatory responses of skin inflammation in animal model. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that the essential oil of Z. jujuba seeds might accelerate the development of new drugs for various inflammatory diseases.

Zizyphus jujuba as anti cancer agent in liver cancer
Mechanism of the anti-cancer activity of Zizyphus jujuba in HepG2 cells.
Am J Chin Medicine. Department of Food and Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Human Life Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan.
We investigated the anti-cancer activity of Zizyphus jujuba herb and its underlining mechanisms of action in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and found that Zizyphus jujuba extract decreased the viability of the cells. Our findings suggest that Zizyphus jujuba extract induced a concentration dependent effect on apoptosis and a differential cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cells.

Antioxidant benefit, antimicrobial
Antioxidant and antilisterial effect of seed essential oil and organic extracts from Zizyphus jujuba.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2009. Al-Reza SM, Bajpai VK, Kang SC. Department of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Kyoungsan, Kyoungbook, Republic of Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh.
Hydrodistilled volatile oil from the seeds of Z. jujuba was analysed. Twenty three compounds representing 91% of the total oil were identified. The oil and organic extracts revealed a great potential of antilisterial effect against all five strains of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111, 19116, 19118, 19166 and 15313. Also the oil had strong detrimental effect on the viable count of the tested bacteria. The results indicate that the essential oil and extracts of Z. jujuba could serve as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents for the food industry.

Constipation
Ziziphus jujuba extract for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation: a controlled clinical trial.
Digestion. 2008. Naftali T, Feingelernt H, Lesin Y, Rauchwarger A, Konikoff FM. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
We investigated the safety and efficacy of an extract of Ziziphus jujuba for chronic constipation. Constipated patients received liquid Ziziphus jujuba or placebo for 12 weeks. Z. jujuba extract is an effective and safe treatment for chronic constipation.

Zizyphus jujuba review
Zizyphus jujuba is used in the Orient for its calming effects. This herb does appear to have some relaxation potential although others herbs such as passion flower, kava, and supplements such as 5-HTP, tryptophan / serotonin, and theanine are good options.

Zizyphus jujuba research
Anti-complementary Activity of Triterpenoides from Fruits of Zizyphus jujuba.
Biol Pharm Bull. 20046.
In order to determine on the anti-complement activity of triterpenes, following eleven triterpenoides were isolated from the fruits of the Zizyphus jujuba: ceanothane-type triterpenes: colubrinic acid, zizyberenalic acid; lupane-type triterpenes: alphitolic acid, alphitolic acid, betulinic acid, betulonic acid; and oleanane-type triterpenes: maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, oleanonic acid. These Zizyphus jujuba compounds were examined for their anti-complement activity against the classical pathway of the complement system. Among them, some exhibited significant anti-complement activity, whereas the ceanothane-type and the lupane-type triterpenes were inactive. This suggests that the oleanane-structure plays an important role in inhibiting the hemolytic activity of human serum against erythrocytes.

How does Zizyphus jujuba work?
Compounds in the plant, called jujubosides, have inhibitory effects on glutamate-mediated excitatory signal pathway in the hippocampus and probably act through their anti- calmodulin action.

Zizyphus jujuba tree information
The Zizyphus jujuba tree probably originated in China where it has been cultivated for several thousand years. The Zizyphus jujuba tree plants were taken beyond Asia centuries ago and today grow to some extent in northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and southwestern United States. The Zizyphus jujube tree provides the Zizyphus jujuba date which is actually tasty. The Zizyphus jujube date taste is a cross between an apple and a date. The Zizyphus jujube fruit can be made into candy. We do not know if Zizyphus jujube tree seed has medicinal benefits.

Zizyphus jujuba questions
A few years ago I used to purchase Zizyphus jujube Fruit in capsule form. The health food store I purchased it at is no longer in business. Do you know where I can get Zizyphus jujube fruit in capsule form? I would give this to my son as a mild laxative. It worked wonderful.
    Zizyphus jujube fruit extract products in capsule form can be found online if you do a jujube supplement search.

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