Ziziphus spina-christi

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ziziphus
Species: Ziziphus spina-christi


Kingdom: Plants, Plantae
Phylum: Flowering plants, Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliids, Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ziziphus
Species: Christ's Thorn Jujube, spina-christi (L.) Willd.
                 Ziziphus spina-christi aucheri
                 var. aucheri (Boiss.) Qaiser & Nazim.


Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Subclass: Archichlamydeae
Order: Rhamnales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Source: STUDENTS’ FLORA OF EGYPT second edition, by VIVI TÄCKHOLM, D. Sc. (Stockholm) Professor of Systematic Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Published by Cairo University. Printed by COOPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY Beirut, 1974.


Botanical (Binomial) name: Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf.
Synonyms: Rhamnus spina-christi L.

Latin (Botanical - Species) name: Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Willd.


Family: Rhamnaceae


Common name:
Arabic: Sidr, Nabq, Nabaq, Gabaat, Siddir, Nubak, Nabdag, Nabbak, Nabak
English: Jujube Christ, Christ thorn
French: epine du Christ


Plant description:

RHAMNACEAE A. Juss. Woody plants with simple, stipulate frequently 3-5-nerved leaves and small greenish or yellowish flowers, often in axillary cymes; intra-staminal disc well developed; fruit a drupe or capsule.. Leaves alternate, 3-nerved beneath. ZIZIPHUS Mill. Trees or shrubs with ovate, beneath 3-nerved leaves. Flowers bisexual, 5-fid. Fruit a yellow to brown-red drupe. Tree, leaves over 2.5 cm. long. ZIZIPHUS SPINA-CHRISTI (L.) Willd.: Branches white, glabrous. Leaves glabrous or slightly pubescent beneath. Stipules transformed into spines in wild forms (v. divaricatus Forssk.) unarmed in cultivated forms (v. rectus Forssk.). (Frut.). Also the latter variety frequently naturalized. Fruit edible, of cherry-size.

Source: STUDENTS’ FLORA OF EGYPT second edition, by VIVI TÄCKHOLM, D. Sc. (Stockholm) Professor of Systematic Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Published by Cairo University. Printed by COOPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY Beirut, 1974.


Propagation: Fruits (seeds), Trees or shrubs in Upper Egypt.


Origin: Egypt

Zilla spinosa

Kingdom:     Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae


Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Subclass: Archichlamydeae
Order: Papaverales
Family: Cruciferae

Latin (Botanical) name: Zilla spinosa (Turra) Prantl.


Family: Cruciferae, Brassicaceae


Common name: Zilla, Silla, Sillet, Besilla, Basilla, Shagaret el-hommoos, Ommo, Hommoos.


Origin: Egypt


Plant description:

CRUCIFERAE A. Juss. Pod short and broad, oblong-rounded. Pod not or inconspicuously compressed. (For shortly cylindrical pods with seeds in 2 parallel rows, see under Pod long and narrow, genera 4, 9, 10.). Pod globose, ovoid or pear-shaped. Pod beaked. Spiny desert shrub with pink flowers ZILLA Forssk. Spiny desert shrubs with pink or purple flowers. Pod indehiscent, globose or square, with a long subulate spinescent beak.

Pod not cube-shaped under the spiny style with a deep groove surrounded by a corky margin on each of the 4 lateral faces.

ZILLA SPINOSA (Turra) Prantl (= ZILLA MYAGROIDES Forssk.) : Blue-green, dichotomously branched plant with stiff spinescent branches and soon deciduous fleshy leaves. Plant typically 50-60 cm. high with 8-10 mm. broad pods. (Frut.). In rocky and sandy places. – In Upper Egypt an annual form of this species is sometimes met with.

v. microcarpa Dur. & Sch. : 10-20 cm. high, pod smaller.

Source: STUDENTS’ FLORA OF EGYPT second edition, by VIVI TÄCKHOLM, D. Sc. (Stockholm) Professor of Systematic Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Published by Cairo University. Printed by COOPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY Beirut, 1974.


Propagation: Fruits (seeds), shrub in Upper Egypt.

Zygophyllum coccineum - A Guide to Medicinal Plants

Zygophyllum coccineum L.,

Sp. Pl.,ed.1,386 ( 1753 )

Names

Arabic: Rutreyt, Kammun Kermany, Ghassoul, Balbal, Tartir, Bowa.

English: Zygophyllum

Morphological Description:
Low shrub, perennial herb or desert succulent undershrub, up to 75 cm high. Numerous stems, branched, erect, the young branches being green. Leaves 2-foliolate, over 10 mm long, cylindrical, bright green, glabrous, fleshy carried on a fleshy long petiole. Stipules broadly triangular, membranous. Flowers are solitary, axillary, white. Capsule 5-valved, 8-10mm long, with obtuse apex. The leaflets and sometimes the petioles are shed under severe dry conditions to reduce the transpiring surface. The fleshy cortex of the stem is shed under these same conditions.


Geographical Distribution:

Local: Arid zones of Egypt (Eastern and Western Desert and Sinai Peninsule).

Regional: Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

Global: South Africa, West Asia


Ecology:
Zygophyllum coccineum is the most widespread Zygophyllum species in Egypt and grows in diverse habitats and different soil types. The plant is very common in the limestone wadis and plains of the Eastern (Arabian) desert and tolerant of saline soils. It dominates a community of widespread occurrence there.


Part(s) Used:
Fruits and seeds


Collection:
The fruits (seeds) are collected when the plant is in fruiting stage


Preparations:
Infusion, Extract


Use:
Oral

Constituents:
Zygophyllin (28% in leaves, 0.18% in stems and 0.26% in fruits). Quinovic acid (0.36% in leaves, 0.31% in fruits and 0.47% in stems). Flavonoids e.g, kaempfero1-3- rutinoside.


Pharmacological Action and Toxicity:
Aqueous extract of the plant is documented to produce a lowering in blood pressure, and acts as a diuretic and antipyretic, local anesthetic, with anti-histamine activity, stimulation and depression of isolated amphibian heart, relaxation of isolated intestine, contraction of uterus and vasodilation. The extract antagonized acetyl choline action on skeletal muscle, and acted additively to the muscle relaxant effect of d-tubocurarine.


Pharmacopoeia:
Not available


Phytopharmaceutical Products:
Not available


Traditional Medicine and Indigenous Knowledge:
History:
It is a plant of North Africa and Arabia.
Arabs use the aromatic seeds instead of pepper


Traditional Medicinal Uses:
• Rheumatism
• Gout
• Cough
• Asthma
• Hypertension
• Flatulent colic
• Diuretic

Other uses of the plant:
The juice from fresh leaves and stems is known to be used as an abrasive cleanser and as remedy for the treatment of
certain skin diseases.


References:

Batanouny, K.H. and Ezzat, Nadia H. (1971). "Eco-physiological studies on desert plants. I. Autecology of Zygophyllum spscies growing in Egypt". Oecologia ( Berl. ), 7:170-183.

El-Moghazy, M.A (1957). "A comparative study of the common Egyption Zygophyllum species". Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University.

Elgamal, M.H.A., Shaker, K.H., pollmann, K. and Seifert, K.H. (1995). "Triterpenoid saponins from Zygophyllum species". Phytochemistry. 40(4): 233-1236.

Saad, S.F., Saber, A.H. and Scott, P.M (1967). "Pharmacological studies on Zygophyllum coccineum extract" . Bull. Fac.Pharm., Cairo
University 6(1): 245- 251.

Saad, S.F., Saber, A.H. and Scott, P.M. (1967). "Pharmacological studies on Zypophyllin and Quinovic Acid" . Bull Fac . Pharm Cairo Univ, 6(1): 253-263.

Saber, A.H. and El-Moghazi Shoaib, A.M. (1966). j. Pharm.Sci.U.A.R.7:117.

Saber, A.H.and El-Moghazy, M.A. (1960). J.Pharm.Sci.U.A.R. 2.


General References:
Batanouny, K. H., (1999). "Wild Medicinal Plants in Egypt". (With contribution of: E. Aboutabl, M. Shabana & F. Soliman). With support of the Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC). Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt. The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Switzerland. pp. 187-188.

Boulos, L. (2000). "Flora of Egypt", volume two, pp. 24, printed by Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo, Egypt.

Rizk, A.M and El-Ghazaly, G.A. (1995). "Medicinal and poisonous plants of Qatar", pp.229. Scientfic and Applied Research Center, University of Qatar.

Tackholm, Vivi., (1974). "Student`s Flora of Egypt". 2nd edition, Cairo University, Egypt.

Zygophyllum

Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Subclass: Archichlamydeae
Order: Geraniales
Family: Zygophyllaceae

 Latin (Botanical - Species) name: Zygophyllum coccineum L.

Family: Zygophyllaceae

Common name: Zygophyllum, R’utrit, Ratrayt, Rotreyt

Origin: Egypt

Plant description:

ZYGOPHYLLACEAE R. Br. Stipules not spiny. Fruit unarmed. Leaves simple or 2-3-foliolate, capsule 5-valved. Leaves terete, if flattened, 2-foliolate. ZYGOPHYLLUM L. Usually desert plants with cylindrical or ovoid, rarely flattened fleshy leaves. Flowers white, pinkish or yellow. Stamens 8-10 with 1-2 scale-like appendages at the base of each filament. Capsule 5-valved, angled or winged. Shrubby plants with compound leaves. Leaflets terete. Peduncle as long as or longer than flower and capsule, leaves green glabrous. Capsule + or – cylindrical, wingless. Capsule about 10 mm. long and 5 mm. broad. ZYGOPHYLLUM COCCINEUM L.: Shrub, up to 75 cm. Leaflets 2, bright green, glabrous, cylindrical, at least 10 mm. long. Capsule 8-10 mm. long, apex obtuse. (Frut.)

Source: STUDENTS’ FLORA OF EGYPT second edition, by VIVI TÄCKHOLM, D. Sc. (Stockholm) Professor of Systematic Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Published by Cairo University. Printed by COOPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY Beirut, 1974.

Propagation: Fruits (seeds), shrub in Upper Egypt.


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