Table 1.

Medicinal uses of Christ's Thorn Jujube

Illness/uses	Parts and preparation	Region/ethnic group and reference	Historical references	World references
Toothache, gum problems	Rubbing the teeth/gums with root powder (or bark)	Arabs, Bedouins [11].		Iraq [35]; Arabian peninsula [37].
Arthritis	Paste of crushed roots, leaves or branches; branches and leaves – inhale steam	Arabs, Bedouins [11, 36].		Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
General painkiller	Paste of crushed roots or branches and flour is applied	Arabs, Bedouins [11].
Anodyne	Bark, leaves			Iraq [35].
Muscle pains	Branches and leaves – inhale steam	Sinai and Negev Bedouins [36, 39].
Soothe pains	Leaves	Yemenite Jews [40].
Bruises	Fruit, leaves, seeds			Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
Chest pains, asthma	Fruit, leaves, seeds		X Century [41].	Arabian peninsula [37].
Headache	Fruit, leaves, seeds			Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
Heart pains	Branches	Sinai and Negev Bedouins [36, 39].
Eye inflammations	Powder of seeds, green leaves or roots as cataplasm.	Arabs, Bedouins [11]; Iraqi Jews [43].		Egypt (Bedouins) [42].
Stomach disorders: aches, constipation, heartburn.	Decoction of seeds leaves or fruit is drunk.	Arabs, Bedouins [11].	Ancient Egypt [2], (X Century [41, 45].	Iraq [35]; Morocco, [42]. Iberian Peninsula, 13th century [46]. Dhofar [38].
Anthelmintic	Fruit, seed or leaf infusion	Arabs, Bedouins [11], Iraqi Jews [43].		Morocco, [42].
Hemorrhoids	Leaves	Yemenite Jews [40]; Iraqi Jews [43].	XIII Century [25].
Diarrhea	Fruit or leaf infusion	Sinai and Negev Bedouins [36, 39], Yemenite Jews [40]; Iraqi Jews [43].	Ancient Egypt [2], X Century [41]; XIII [25].	Morocco, [42].
Increase milk production	Leaves boiled and liquid drunk	Sinai and Negev Bedouins [36, 39].
Promoting pregnancy	Fruit – tea	Sinai and Negev Bedouins [36, 39].
To ease prolonged labor	Leaves boiled and liquid drunk			Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
Wounds	Application of fruit juice	Iraqi Jews [43]; Arabs [11].	Ancient Egypt [2].	Dhofar [38].
Blisters	Fruit, leaves, seeds			Arabian peninsula [37].
Burns	Fruit – crushed and boiled	Iraqi Jews [43].
Skin diseases and disorders	Boiled or crushed leaves, resin	Iraqi Jews [43].	X Century [41].	Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
Abscesses and furuncles	Cataplasm of boiled leaves			Morocco, [42].
Lung, chest and pectoral problems	Leaves or fruit	Iraqi Jews [43].		Iraq [35]; Arabian peninsula [37]; Iberian Peninsula, 13th century [46].
Blood purifier and tonic	Leaves or fruit	Yemenite Jews [40].	Ancient Egypt [2, 44].	Iraq [35]; Arabian peninsula [37]; Dhofar [38];
High blood pressure	Leaves	Israel [47, 48].		Jordan [12].
Fractures	Cataplasm of boiled leaves			Arabian peninsula [37].
Emollient	Fruit or leaf infusion			Iraq [35]; Arabian peninsula [37]; Morocco, [42].
Depurative	Fruit			Iraq [35].
Cooling	Bark, leaves, fruit		Ancient Egypt [2, 44].	Iraq [35].
Tonic	Bark, leaves		Ancient Egypt [2].	Iraq [35].
Stomachic	Bark, leaves, fruit		Ancient Egypt [2, 44].	Iraq [35].
Measles	Fruit infusion			Morocco [42].
Febrifuge	Fruit infusion, resin		X Century [41].	Morocco [42].
Snake bites	Wood ash in vinegar		Leaves for bee or wasp stings, XIIIth century [49].	Morocco [42].
Astringent	Leaf infusion			Morocco [42]; Iraq [35].
Hair problems	Liquid from branches, fruit, leaves, seeds, resin.	Arabs [11]; Iraqi Jews [43].	X Century [41]; XIII Century [25].	Southwestern Saudi Arabia [50]; Arabian peninsula [37]. Dhofar [38].
Infant's powder	Powdered leaves			Yemen [37].
Colds	Fruit	Israel [47, 48].		Jordan [12].
Weight reduction	Fruit	Israel [47, 48].		Jordan [12].
Nervousness	Branches and leaves	Negev [36].
Swollen organs	Fruit		Ancient Egypt [2].
Diuretic	Wood		Ancient Egypt [2].
Liver problems	Fruits		Ancient Egypt [2].
Anus problems	Fruits		Coptic Egyptian Medicine [2].