Ziziphus real (Ziziphus jujuba); Chinese date, unabi, jujuba; Zisyphus is real
A prickly spreading bush or a small (up to 3 m tall) tree of the zoster family. The leaves are alternate, short-petioled, leathery, broad-lanceolate or elongated-ovate, blunt-serrated on the edge. The flowers are bisexual, small, greenish, five-parted, axillary, in bunches. The fruit is a spherical or elongated drupe, with a red-brown or yellow glossy skin, with a fleshy sweet white or light green mesocarp and a stony core. Blooms in May – July. The fruits ripen in August – October.
Distribution . The real Zizyphus grows wild in Central Asia; in the Crimea, it occurs in the collections of research institutions, on the plots of amateur gardeners.
Raw. For medicinal purposes, mature fruits (Fructus jujubae) and leaves are used, which are collected during fruiting and dried in the shade. Fruits are consumed fresh, dried, dried, used in confectionery and canning industries. Fruits are dried after enzyme inactivation by holding them for 1-2 minutes in boiling water.
The plant is unofficial .
Chemical composition . The fruits and leaves of the true zizyfus contain tannins and resinous substances, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotene, coumarins, sugars, organic acids, essential oil. In addition, the fruits contain pectins, fatty oil, potassium and phosphorus salts, and the leaves contain anesthetic substances. The content of ascorbic acid is: in fresh fruits – 700-900 mg%, in fruits dried with inactivation of enzymes – 1500-2000 mg%, in fruits dried without inactivation of enzymes – 5-10 mg%.
Pharmacological properties and use. Pharmacological and clinical studies have confirmed the diuretic properties of the fruits and leaves of zizyfus (a 10% infusion was used). According to clinical observations, the fruits also have hypotensive properties. It was established that the optimal hypotensive effect is caused by a 10 percent decoction of fruits in a dose of 60 ml 4-6 times a day, as well as 8-10 pieces of fresh or candied fruits. 3-4 times a day. Reducing the dose causes a less noticeable hypotensive effect, and increasing it by 25 and 50% does not lead to a reliable increase in the depressant effect. The most pronounced antihypertensive effect is caused by the decoction, much less by fresh and dried fruits. The more active pharmacodynamic effect of the decoction may have been due to the fact that the medicinal form of the decoction is more optimal from a pharmacological point of view for the manifestation of its resorptive effect. Especially pronounced hypotensive, hemodynamic effect of zizyfus fruits is observed in patients with hypokinetic type of blood circulation. Along with the hypotensive and hemodynamic effect, phytotherapy with the fruits of zizyphus had a beneficial effect on the general clinical manifestations of the disease. In the course of treatment, headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, palpitations, and sleep, general well-being, work capacity, and mood improve in most patients. In addition, a decoction of fruits causes a moderate sedative effect. Adverse negative reactions in response to the use of zizyfus fruits were not detected. In folk medicine, the fruits are used as a decoction for anemia, as a softening and anti-inflammatory agent for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract and fever, for intestinal ulcers and intestinal infections. Unripe fruits are recommended for diarrhea and dysentery, ripe – with constipation. The property of the leaves to remove (temporarily, for 5-10 minutes) the sensation of sweet and bitter taste, without affecting pain sensations, attracts attention.
Medicinal forms and applications . Internally – a decoction of dried fruits (20 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) half a glass 4-6 times a day for 15 days as a hypotensive agent;
8-10 pieces of fresh fruit or candied fruit to be taken 3-4 times a day for 15 days as a hypotensive agent.