(JUJUBIER SAUVAGE) Les propriétés médicinales que le monde arabe attribue au miel de Zizyphus sont nombreuses : Il nettoie et cicatrise les blessures, Il soulage les brûlures et régénère les cellules, Il soigne le foie, Il est autorisé pour les diabétiques, … Mais, de toutes ces propriétés, il en existe une qui supplante toutes les autres, qui lui donne toute sa valeur commerciale et que l’on ne divulgue qu’aux initiés : le miel de Zizyphus spina christi est recherché pour ses effets aphrodisiaques.
Zizyphus Spina-Christi, Sudan (western): cherry-type fruit used as a delicacy; (Kordofan, Darfur): bitter-sweet pulp of fruit is dried and milled to produce a fine flour. One method of preparation places the flour in small metal cups which are cooked under steam. This process solidifies the flour in the shape of the container. The dried pulp-flour and water are also mixed with seseame and formed into small balls for immediate or future use. The seed coat is also cracked open and the kernels eaten raw. Nigeria (Kano State, northern): fruit eaten. Chemical composition (after Berry-Koch) (per 100g) (fruit, dried): Protein = 4.8g. Fat = .9g. Calcium = 140mg. Fe = 3.0mg. Vitamin B1 = .04mg. Vitamin B2 = .13mg. Niacin = 3.7mg. Vitamin C = 30mg. Chemical composition (after Abdelmuti): Protein (crude) = 5.6% (dry). Fat = 2.1% (dry). Ash (insoluble) = 4.4% (dry). Fibre (crude) (dry) = 4.1%(dry). Carbohydrate (soluble): Starch = 21.8% (dry). Sugars: Sucrose = 21.8% (dry). D-glucose = 9.6% (dry). D- fructose = 16.0% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid = 15.1g. Threonine = 2.2g. Serine = 3.9g. Glutamic acid = 17.6g. Proline = 5.3g. Glycine = 3.1g. Alanine = 3.4g. Valine = 3.1g. Cysteine = 0.5g. Methionine = 0.4g. Isoleucine = 2.3g. Leucine = 3.9g. Tyrosine = 1.8g. Phenylalanine = 2.2g. Lysine = 2.3g. Histidine = 0.9g. Arginine = 3.4g. Sulphur 0.04% (dry). Potassium = 0.13% (dry). Magnesium = 0.12% (dry). Calcium = 0.61% (dry). Na = 0.01% (dry). K = 1.91% (dry). Zinc = 9mg/kg-1 (dry). Iron = 20mg/kg-1 (dry). Manganese = 13mg/kg-1 (dry). Copper = 5mg/kg-1 (dry). Vernacular names - Sudan: Nabag, Nabak, Cidir, Christ's thorn. Nigeria (Hausa): Kurna.