Ziziphin, a triterpene

Triterpene

Triterpenes are terpenes consisting of six isoprene units and have the molecular formula C30H48.The pentacyclic triterpenes can be classified into lupane, oleanane or ursane groups.Animal- and plant-derived triterpenes exist, such as:*squalene...

 glycoside

Glycoside

In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme...

 which exhibits taste-modifying properties, has been isolated from the leaves of Ziziphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae

Rhamnaceae

Rhamnaceae, the Buckthorn family, is a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs and some vines.The family contains 50-60 genera and approximately 870-900 species. The Rhamnaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are more common in the subtropical and tropical regions...

).

Among ziziphin's known homologues found in this plant, it is the most anti-sweet. However, its anti-sweet activity is less effective than gymnemic acid 1

Gymnemic acid

Gymnemic acids are glycosides isolated from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre . Gymnemic acids like ziziphin and hodulcine are anti-sweet compounds, or sweetness inhibitors. After chewing the leaves, solutions sweetened with sucrose taste like water.More than 20 homologues of gymnemic acid are found...

, another anti-sweet compound glycoside isolated from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre

Gymnema sylvestre

Gymnema sylvestre is a herb native to the tropical forests of southern and central India where it has been used as a natural treatment for diabetes for nearly two millennia.-Description:...

(Asclepiadaceae).

Ziziphin reduces perceived sweetness of most of the carbohydrates (e.g. glucose

Glucose

Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...

, fructose

Fructose

Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose, that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion. Fructose was discovered by French chemist Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847...

), bulk sweeteners, intense sweeteners (natural: steviol glycoside

Steviol glycoside

The steviol glycosides are responsible for the sweet taste of the leaves of the stevia plant .These compounds range in sweetness from 40 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose.They are heat-stable, pH-stable, and do not ferment...

 – artificial: sodium saccharin

Saccharin

Saccharin is an artificial sweetener. The basic substance, benzoic sulfilimine, has effectively no food energy and is much sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations...

 and aspartame

Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet; since 2009 it...

) and sweet amino acids (e.g. glycine

Glycine

Glycine is an organic compound with the formula NH2CH2COOH. Having a hydrogen substituent as its 'side chain', glycine is the smallest of the 20 amino acids commonly found in proteins. Its codons are GGU, GGC, GGA, GGG cf. the genetic code.Glycine is a colourless, sweet-tasting crystalline solid...

). However, it has no effect on the perception of the other tastes, bitterness, sourness and saltiness.