Phenolic Compounds in Ziziphus jujuba Mill.: Advances in Distribution, Biosynthesis, and Pharmacological Activities

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is a functional food with both edible and medicinal properties. It is rich in various bioactive compounds and holds significant development value and application prospects in food nutrition, medicine, and health. This review systematically summarizes the research progress on the synthesis mechanism and pharmacological activities of phenolic compounds in jujube fruits, clarifies the composition of their main components, sorts out the research advances in extraction technologies of jujube phenolic compounds, and focuses on analyzing the content differences and distribution patterns across cultivars and tissue parts. On this basis, it examines the regulatory mechanisms of phenolic compound synthesis in depth, with a particular focus on elucidating the regulatory networks of genes and transcription factors involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Meanwhile, this review comprehensively summarizes the pharmacological activities of phenolic compounds in jujube fruits, including antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic effects. It also elucidates the molecular mechanisms underlying these bioactivities, such as regulating signaling pathways and scavenging free radicals. Finally, it analyzes the limitations of current research and proposes key directions for future development. This review provides theoretical support and a scientific basis for the in-depth development and utilization of jujube phenolic compounds as well as for the research and development of related functional foods and drugs.