Phytochemical Properties and Pharmacological Applications of Capparis Species
Summary
Species within the Capparis genus are prized for their rich assemblage of secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, glucosinolates, alkaloids and phenolic acids, which vary markedly among buds, leaves, fruits, roots and seeds. Traditional medicine has long exploited caper extracts for anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective purposes. Modern phytochemical analyses, employing techniques from hydrodistillation to high-resolution mass spectrometry, have catalogued sulphur-containing volatiles, quercetin and kaempferol derivatives, and unique alkaloid scaffolds. Pharmacological assays in vitro and in vivo demonstrate antioxidant capacity, inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and antimicrobial activity against major foodborne pathogens. Integrative approaches, combining metabolomics, transcriptomics and network pharmacology, are now elucidating biosynthetic pathways and molecular targets, laying a foundation for standardised extracts and novel drug leads with global significance in nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and infectious-disease therapeutics.
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Phytochemical Properties and Pharmacological Applications of Capparis Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical properties and pharmacological applications of capparis species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Metabolome: Complete set of small-molecule metabolites found in a biological sample.
Transcriptome: Full range of messenger RNA molecules expressed in a cell or tissue.
Flavonoids: Polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Glucosinolates: Sulfur-containing precursors of isothiocyanates with bioactive properties.
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): Lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that prevents visible growth of a microorganism.
Network pharmacology: Integrative approach linking bioactive compounds to molecular targets and pathways.
References
- Essential Oil Emulsion from Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) Leaves: Exploration of Its Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties for Possible Application as a Natural Food Preservative. Antioxidants (2024).
- The Current State of Knowledge about the Biological Activity of Different Parts of Capers. Nutrients (2023).
- Quality variation and biosynthesis of anti-inflammatory compounds for Capparis spinosa based on the metabolome and transcriptome analysis. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023).
- Capparis cartilaginea decne (capparaceae): isolation of flavonoids by high-speed countercurrent chromatography and their anti-inflammatory evaluation. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2023).
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