Ziziphus spp. (Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.)

The genus Ziziphus Mill. (Family: Rhamnaceae) consists of about 100 to 170 species, globally distributed in the tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions. Among the species, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. is a popular locally grown low-cost edible fruit harvested from the wild and cultivated fields. This fruit is considered the one of the earliest domesticated fruit tree in the world. Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. is widely distributed in Nepal, India and other Asian countries and is used for various medicinal purposes. Fruits are rich in various nutrients and phenolic compounds, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. Similarly, various reports have been published on the biological activities of the extracted and isolated compounds of fruits. This chapter aims to collect and analyze the scientific information available on the fruits of Z. jujuba and Z. mauritiana and their potential in the development of functional and nutraceutical products.