Xinyue Du, Zhiyuan Zhang, Jianxia Zhang, Xinxin Shi, Yingchun Cheng, Shengli Cao, Saisai Li, Jing Sun, Yongqing Zhang, Yuhong Liu
ZS has broad application prospects in medicinal and functional foods. Specifically, focusing on the efficacy of ZSF helps address the current resource dilemma while providing a scientific basis for its future pharmaceutical development. However, in order to give full play to its potential, it is necessary to establish quality standards, strengthen pharmacokinetic and toxicological studies, and ultimately validate its safety and efficacy through well-designed clinical investigations.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou (ZS) is native to China and mainly distributed in the north. ZS fruit pulp (ZSF) has a long history in ethnomedicine, which has the effects of hemostatic and antidiarrheal. However, it is often discarded as a by-product of ZS processing, resulting in serious waste of resources and lack of clinical application. Although there are reviews of ZSF, they lack reports on recent research progress and do not address all relevant aspects. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the current research on this species is crucial for its future application.
AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research status and combined with the latest research results, to explore its potential in a wider range of medical applications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature published up to December 2025 was retrieved from Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, WanFang Data, Baidu Scholar, and ancient medical monographs using the keywords "sour jujube", "Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa", "wild jujube", "spiny", "chemical composition", and "pharmacological effects". After screening based on predefined eligibility criteria, 128 studies were included for qualitative synthesis.
RESULTS: The research progress of ZSF was reviewed from the aspects of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, quality control, product development, and so on. The study identified gaps in research on toxicology and pharmacokinetics, potential solutions, and discussed the future prospects for the application of ZSF.
CONCLUSION: ZS has broad application prospects in medicinal and functional foods. Specifically, focusing on the efficacy of ZSF helps address the current resource dilemma while providing a scientific basis for its future pharmaceutical development. However, in order to give full play to its potential, it is necessary to establish quality standards, strengthen pharmacokinetic and toxicological studies, and ultimately validate its safety and efficacy through well-designed clinical investigations.