Composition and antioxidative and cancer cell inhibiting activities of Jujube fruits and seeds (Ziziphus jujuba) cultivated in Korea

Authors: CHOI, SUK-HYUN - Seowon University, Korea; KOZUKUE, NOBUYUKI - Seowon University, Korea; Friedman, Mendel

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2016
Publication Date: 6/10/2016
Citation: Choi, S., Kozukue, N., Friedman, M. 2016. Composition and antioxidative and cancer cell inhibiting activities of Jujube fruits and seeds (Ziziphus jujuba) cultivated in Korea. In: Liu, D., Ye, X., Jiang, Y., editors. Chinese Dates: A Traditional Functional Food. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group. p. 99-114.

Interpretive Summary: Jujubes (Chinese dates) have been used as an important plant in folk medicine and shown to exhibit beneficial nutritional and numerous health-promoting effects. The main objective of this chapter is to present an overview of our collaborative studies on the composition and bioactivities of several varieties grown in Korea. The free amino acids, amino acid metabolites, protein, flavonoid, and phenolic content seem to be responsible for the described nutritional, antioxidative, and cancer cell-inhibiting properties of three Korean jujube fruits (Boeun-deachu, Mechu, and Sanzoin) and two seeds (Mechu Sanzoin and Sanzoin). The seeds contain higher amounts of nutritional and bioactive compounds than the fruit. The maturity (growth stage) of the harvested fruit seems to significantly affect composition and and health-promoting properties, suggesting that consumers have a choice of selecting a growth stage with highest content of beneficial compounds. In addition, because individual flavonoids and phenolic compounds might exhibit different health-promoting effects, a need exists to evaluate the composition and concentrations of known and unknown individual bioactive compounds of fresh and processed jujube products in cells, rodents, and humans for the benefit of consumers.

Technical Abstract: Jujubes (Chinese dates) have been used as an important plant in folk medicine and shown to exhibit beneficial nutritional and numerous health-promoting effects. The main objective of this chapter is to present an overview of our collaborative studies on the composition and bioactivities of several varieties grown in Korea. The free amino acids, amino acid metabolites, protein, flavonoid, and phenolic content seem to be responsible for the described nutritional, antioxidative, and cancer cell-inhibiting properties of three Korean jujube fruits (Boeun-deachu, Mechu, and Sanzoin) and two seeds (Mechu Sanzoin and Sanzoin). The seeds contain higher amounts of nutritional and bioactive compounds than the fruit. The maturity (growth stage) of the harvested fruit seems to significantly affect composition and and health-promoting properties, suggesting that consumers have a choice of selecting a growth stage with highest content of beneficial compounds. In addition, because individual flavonoids and phenolic compounds might exhibit different health-promoting effects, a need exists to evaluate the composition and concentrations of known and unknown individual bioactive compounds of fresh and processed jujube products in cells, rodents, and humans for the benefit of consumers.