Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider): An important Medicinal Plant- The Gold of the Desert

Jojoba [Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider] is an evergreen, perennial and drought resistant shrub belongs to the family of Simmondsiaceae. It is a potential seed oil crop for desert region, known as the gold of desert.  Its seeds and oil have a long history of use in folklore to treat various ailments, such as skin and scalp disorders, superficial wounds, sore throat, obesity, cancer,  improvement of liver functions, enhancement of immunity, and promotion of hair growth. This plant has unique oil among plant kingdom which is chemically a liquid-wax. The main uses of liquid-wax in various industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals and lubricants. The seed cake is used safely as a food and has many applications in the food industry due to its high fat and protein content. Extensive studies on Jojoba oil showed a wide range of pharmacological applications, including antioxidant, anti-acne and anti-psoriasis, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antipyretic, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperglycemia activities. Jojoba is a cross pollinated plant and crop having tendency to produce seedlings of varying size and yield. Therefore, this heterozygous progeny has raised doubt about economic feasibility of jojoba crop at commercial scale. The commercial plantations of jojoba raised successfully in Bikaner district of Rajasthan, India.