Suan Zao Ren - 酸枣仁 - Semen Ziziphi spinosae - Spiny Date Seed / Sour Jujube Seed

Properties: Sweet, sour, neutral

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Liver and Gallbladder
Divergent Channels: Gallbladder, Liver
Extraordinary Vessels: Yang Wei

Traditional Actions/Indications:

Nourishes Heart Yin, tonifies Liver Blood and calms the Spirit
Irritability, insomnia, palpitations and anxiety due to Liver Blood Deficiency or Heart Yin Deficiency with Deficiency Fire Rising
Astringes sweat and generates fluids
Abnormal sweating, either spontaneous sweating or night sweats
Expels Dampness from the Channels and disperses Evil Binding Qi from the Heart
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of woods that "treats Heart and abdominal cold and heat and evil binding qi, aching pain in the limbs, and Damp Bi."
Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as a herb which can, with protracted taking, "quiet the five viscera, make the body light, and prolong life." This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Suggested Daily Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.

Notable Constituents: Shergis et al. (2017) published a review of phytochemistry.

Sanjoinines
Clyclopeptide aporphine alkaloids with possible GABA-ergic receptor agonist action.
Magnoflorine
Clyclopeptide aporphine alkaloid with GABA-ergic receptor agonist action.
Jujubosides
Soponin glycosides with GABA_A receptor subunit gene expression activity.
Jujubogenin
Jujuboside aglycone microbial metabolite which modulates GABA_A receptors.
Spinosin
Flavone with GABA_A receptor modulation, serotonergic and 5-HT_1A receptor antagonist activity.

Individual Herbs Notebook