Abstract

Ziziphus spina-christi known as Christ's Thorn Jujube, is a native plant that grows in tropical and subtropical regions especially in Middle East. Its extracts are important in drug development with pharmacological activities in the Middle East and South and East of Asia including Iran. For a long time, Z. spina-christi has been used in alternative medicine for the treatment of fever, pain, dandruff, wounds and ulcers, inflammatory conditions, asthma and to cure eye diseases. Z. spina-christi has recently been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and antinociceptive activities. Flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins are the main phytochemicals that are reported from this plant. Geranyl acetone, methyl hexadecanoate, methyl octadecanoate, farnesyl acetone C, hexadecanol and ethyl octadecanoate are characterized as the major components of the leaves’ volatile oil. Due to the easy collection of the plant materials, its being cheap and widespread in many countries and also remarkable biological activities, this plant has become both medicine and food in some parts of the world, especially throughout the Middle East including Iran. This paper presents comprehensive analyzed information on the botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of Z. spina-christi.

Key words: Ziziphus spina-christi, rhamnaceae, pharmacology, phytochemistry.