STUDIES ON THE CONSTITUENTS OF ZIZYPHUS SPINOSUS HU

Suan Zao Ren (the seeds of Zizyphus spinosus Hu) is a commonly used in Chinese traditional medicine for treating insomnia, neurasthenia and sometimes for sleepiness caused by physical emaciation. From its methanol fraction, six compounds were isolated. Four of them were identified as triterpenoid saponins, jujuboside B(Ⅵ), jujuboside A (Ⅶ): phenolic acid, ferulic acid (Ⅷ) and flavonoid compound, spinosin (Ⅸ).One flavonoid (compound Ⅹ ) was proved to be a 4″-β-D-glucopyranosyl swertisin, a new flavonoid compound named zivulgarin. The structure of zivulgarin was elucidated by acid hydrolysis, derivative preparation and spectroscopic examination. The remaining saponin (Ⅺ) is being further studied.