Table 3.
Health benefits of jujube fruit
| Biological function | Jujube sample used | Experimental model | Findings | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anticancer activity | Jujube fruit was supplemented in feed at 5% and 10% (mass fraction) | Colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis in AOM/DSS-treated mice | Jujube fruit attenuated aberrant crypt foci and decreased the progression of hyperplasia to dysplasia. In addition, it reduced circulating white blood cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and platelets compared to colon cancer mice. | Periasamy et al., 2015 |
| Jujube fruit diet for 70 d (5% or 10%, mass fraction) | Colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis in AOM/DSS-treated mice | Dietary jujube increased colon length and suppressed the activation of NF-κB/IL-6/JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. | Periasamy et al., 2020 | |
| Jujube extract (ursonic acid) | A549, H1299, and HaCaT cells | Ursonic acid inhibited ERK and CREB signaling pathways and reduced the transcriptional expression levels of gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in non-small cell lung cancer cells， thereby exerting remarkable anticancer capabilities. | Son and Lee, 2020 | |
| Jujube fruit aqueous extract | Cervical cancer cell line (OV2008), breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), and normal cell line (MCF-10A) | Jujube fruit aqueous extract inhibited the proliferation of OV2008 and MCF-7 cancer cells. The potential mechanism is through increasing the expression of Bax gene and reducing the expression of Bcl2 gene. | Abedini et al., 2016 | |
| Jujube polysaccharides | AOM/DSS-induced colitis cancer in C57BL/6 mice | Jujube polysaccharides could significantly decrease Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and ward off colon cancer by ameliorating colitis cancer-induced gut dysbiosis. | Ji et al., 2020a | |
| Z. jujuba cv. Muzao polysaccharides (ZMP) | AOM/DSS-induced colitis cancer in C57BL/6 mice | ZMP increased the enrichment of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus, reduced the expression of proinflammatory factors, increased the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, and prevented further progression of colon cancer. | Ji et al., 2019b | |
| Jujube powder | Mouse MC38 colon tumor model | Jujube powder increased the species richness of Lachnospiraceae, decreased the abundance of Prevotellaceae, and improved both the response rate and therapeutic efficiency of anti-PD-L1. | Wang LYet al., 2020 | |
| Antioxidant activity | Two active polysaccharides (LZJP3 and LZJP4) extracted from jujube | DPPH, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity | LZJP3 and LZJP4 extracted from Z. jujuba cv. Linzexiaozao have strong antioxidant effects on DPPH, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide radicals. | Wang et al., 2018 |
| Jujube fruit residues polysaccharide extract (SAZMP3) | Hydroxyl free radical and DPPH free radical scavenging ability | SAZMP3 could scavenge hydroxyl radicals and DPPH radicals in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. | Lin et al.,2019 | |
| Jujube fruit powder supplementation (30 and 150 mg/mL) | Fruit flies | Jujube fruit powder supplementation increased flies’ ability to resist starvation stress and ROS stress. | Ghimire and Kim, 2017 | |
| Flavonoid extracted from Z. jujuba cv. Jinsixiaozao (ZJF) | In vitro (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP); in vivo (male BALB/c mice) | ZJF could increase the activity of SOD and GSH in the mouse liver. | Huang et al., 2017 | |
| Anti-inflammatory activity | Alcohol extract from jujube fruit (EEZJ) 800, 1200, and1600 mg/kg | Carrageenan-induced paw oedema in female Wistar rats | EEZJ eliminated the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in female Wistar rats by inhibiting inflammation. | Mesaik et al., 2018 |
| ZJF | Male BALB/c mice | ZJF decreased APAP-induced inflammatory mediator production (NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway to protect the mouse liver. | Huang et al., 2017 | |
| Jujube fruit diet for 70 d (5% or 10%, mass fraction) | AOM/DSS-treated mice | Jujube fruit suppressed intestinal inflammation by blocking pathway of NF-κB/IL-6/JAK1/STAT3. | Periasamy et al., 2020 | |
| Hydroalcoholic extract of Z. jujuba fruits | Rat with induced ulcerative colitis | Jujube extract could decrease the myeloperoxidase activity and stimulate SOD and GSH peroxidase activity. | Tanideh et al., 2016 | |
| Polysaccharides from Z. jujuba cv. Pozao | Cyclophosphamide-induced ICR mice for 28 d | Polysaccharides from Z. jujuba cv. Pozao could increase the levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ in the spleens of immunosuppressed mice. | Han et al., 2020 | |
| Anti-hyperglycemic activity | Dried jujube fruit and chokeberry dietary | Mice fed 60% high-fat and 10% fructose diet | Dried jujube and chokeberry reduced the HFFD mice body weight, attenuated blood glucose and triglyceride concentrations. | Jeong and Kim, 2019 |
| Jujube fruit active substances (betulinic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursonic acid) | Rat L6 myotube | These polycyclic triterpenoids induced glucose uptake in a glucose transporter-4-dependent manner, and finally promoted glucose uptake in rat L6 myotubes. | Kawabata et al., 2017 | |
| Jujube(cv. Shaanbeitanzao) polysaccharide (ZSP) 0, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW for four weeks | Mice fed high-fructose | ZSP significantly improved the HDL-C and HOMA-IR levels, reduced insulin resistance, and balanced blood lipid homeostasis in high-fructose diet mice. | Zhao Yet al., 2014 | |
| Jujube water extract from Z. jujuba cv. Muzao (PZMP1) | The normal human liver cell line L02 | PZMP1 reduced the activity of ALT and inhibited the oleic acid-induced triglyceride and lipid accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner in L02 cells. | Ji et al., 2018b | |
| Immunoregulatory activity | Z. jujube cv. Jinchangzao ethanol extract (JJC1 and JJC2) | Kunming male mice | JJC1 and JJC2 stimulated the NO production and phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 cells and promoted the proliferation of spleen lymphocytes. | Cai et al., 2017 |
| Z. jujuba cv. Jinchangzao polysaccharides (JCS-1 and JCS-2) | RAW264.7 cells | There was a positive dose-dependent relationship between JCS-1, JCS-2 and phagocytic indices. JCS-1 and JCS-2 showed immunological activity in a dose-dependent manner. Sulfated derivatives exhibited stronger immunological activity than native polysaccharides. | Cai et al., 2018 | |
| Z. jujuba cv. Huizao polysaccharides (HP1 and HP2) | Kunming male mice | HP1 and HP2 improved the functions of spleen and thymus, promoted the formation of serum hemolysin, increased the phagocytosis of macrophages, and alleviated the edema of foot pads of mice. | Zou et al., 2018 | |
| Neuroprotective activity | Jujube aqueous extracts | PC12 cells | Aqueous extracts promoted the expression of neuronal cell-specific cytoskeleton proteins in PC12 cells. | Chen et al., 2015 |
| Jujube fruit in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions | PC12 cells | Jujube-containing herbal decoctions stimulated the growth of neurite and protein expression of neurofilaments afterco-incubation with PC12 cells. | Lam et al., 2016 | |
| Antiviral activity | Jujube active substance (betulinic acid) | Influenza A/PR/8 virus infected A549 cell and mice | Betulinic acid (50 μmol/L) showed satisfactory antiviral activity without significant cytotoxicity to influenza A/PR/8 virus-infected cell line A549. In vivo experiments have shown that betulinic acid can relieve the symptoms of lung necrosis and edema caused by influenza A/PR/8 virus in mice. | Hong et al., 2015 |
| Jujube flavonoids (compound 1 and compound 2) | Anti-tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) activity was tested using the half-leaf method | These two new compounds possessed significant activity against tobacco mosaic virus replication, with inhibition rates of 92.8% and 88.6%, respectively. | Li et al., 2013 | |
| Jujube fruit in Yakammaoto (a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine) | HEp-2, A549, and HK-2 cell lines | Inhibited coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4)-induced cellular damage by preventing viral attachment, internalization, and replication. | Yen et al., 2014 |
AOM: azoxymethane; DSS: dextran sodium sulphate; NF-κB: nuclear factor-κB; IL: interleukin; JAK1: Janus kinase 1; STAT3: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; ERK: extracellular signal-regulated kinase; CREB: cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein; MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; ROS: reactive oxygen species; ABTS: 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate); FRAP: ferric-reducing antioxidant power; SOD: superoxide dismutase; GSH: glutathione; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; IFN-γ: interferon-γ; HFFD: high-fat-fructose diet; BW: body weight; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance; APAP: acetaminophen; ALT: alanine aminotransferase.