Capparis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Capparis L.

Protologue: Sp. pl. 503 (1753); Gen. pl. ed. 5: 222 (1754).

Family: Capparaceae

Chromosome number: x= 20, 22; C. zeylanica: 2n= 40, 44; C. sepiaria: 2n= 40

• Capparis micracantha DC.,
• C. zeylanica L.

Capparis comprises about 250 species and is found throughout the tropics and subtropics, especially in America and Africa. Another centre of diversity, with about 40 species, is found in Burma (Myanmar) and Indo-China, while in Malesia 23 species are recognized.

Capparis is used in traditional medicine in many countries. In general, the root, stem, leaves and fruit are used for the treatment of chronic infected skin diseases, swellings, boils and haemorrhoids. In the Philippines, the whole plant of C. micracantha is used for asthma and chest pain. A decoction of the roots is taken to treat stomach-ache, and also as a post-partum tonic. Sap from the petiole is dropped into the eye to treat ophthalmia. In Indo-China and Thailand, a decoction of the leaves or the root grated with water, is drunk as a diuretic to treat quotidian fever, and it is also considered as carminative. The leaves are also used to treat muscular cramps, as a decoction or bath, while the roasted seeds are employed as a cough remedy. In Cambodia, the smoke of the powdered stem is inhaled for bronchitis and nose ulcers. Infusions of the wood of C. micracantha or C. pyrifolia are used to treat biliousness, stomach-ache and dizziness. C. pyrifolia leaves are also used as a remedy for headache. In the Philippines, C. sepiaria is considered as febrifugal, alterative and tonic. In India, Burma (Myanmar) and the Philippines, the leaves or bitter root bark of C. zeylanica are employed as a counter-irritant, to reduce perspiration and to improve the appetite. In Burma (Myanmar), the bark is used to treat cholera. It is also recommended as an antiscorbutic, and for the treatment of gastritis. In the Philippines, the leaves, rubbed with salt and sometimes pounded, are placed on the forehead and/or temples as a remedy for headache. In India, a decoction of the leaves is used for syphilis.

C. decidua (Forssk.) Edgew. (synonym C. aphylla Hayne ex Roth.) is well known from Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia and India, where the bitter and pungent root is used to treat intermittent fevers, boils, arthritis, gout and rheumatism. The fruit is astringent and useful for cardiac troubles and biliousness. In India, the stems are used to stupefy fish. The fruits and flower-buds are commonly pickled and used as a condiment, like those of the well-known Mediterranean C. spinosa L. var. mariana (Jacq.) K. Schum., the caperbush. C. decidua is also used in traditional medicine, though not in South-East Asia. In India, infusions or decoctions from the root bark are used for the treatment of dropsy, anaemia, and arthritis, and are recommended as tonic, diuretic, anthelminthic, emmenagogue and analgesic. The fruit of C. pyrifolia is sweet and edible, but that of C. zeylanica has a poor flavour.

Many Capparis species are considered a good source of fodder for cattle and wild animals in the dry season.

Capparis is only used on a local scale in South-East Asia.

Most research on biological activity in Capparis has been carried out with C. decidua. Pharmacological effects of C. decidua extracts include a strong antibacterial activity of an ethanolic extract of the flowers, fruit-husks and seeds against Bacillus subtilis, B. megaterium, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae. In addition, a sulphur-containing compound (without further structural elucidation) isolated from the seeds showed both high antibacterial and antifungal action against the fungi Aspergillus flavus , Candida albicans and Penicillium echyogenum and the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, at a dilution of 50μg/ml. An aqueous extract of the flowers, fruit pulp and root bark has been found to have anthelmintic properties against earthworms.

The powdered aerial parts of C. decidua showed marked activity against oxidative stress in isolated tissues from alloxan-induced diabetic rats. In the animals, this extract also increased the urine volume, but not the excretion of electrolytes, thus displaying an aquaretic activity.

p-Methoxy benzoic acid, isolated from the aqueous extract of C. spinosa var. mariana, was found to possess significant antihepatotoxic activity against carbontetrachloride and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in vivo, and thiocetamide and galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes in vitro. The alcoholic extract of the aerial parts of C. decidua and C. spinosa var. mariana also showed anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats.

An alcoholic extract of the aerial parts of C. sepiaria showed some antibacterial activity on non-specified bacteria. The alkaloids L-stachydrine and 3-hydroxy-L-stachydrine have been isolated from the leaves of C. zeylanica. An aqueous alcoholic extract of the aerial parts showed antispasmodic activity against acetylcholine and histamine.

Mustards and horseradish (Cruciferae) are substitutes for Capparis because they also have a sharp taste and a similar effect as a digestive stimulant.

• Erect to climbing shrubs, occasionally small trees, branches often overhanging.
• Leaves spirally arranged, simple; petiole short; mostly with 2 stipular thorns.
• Inflorescence consisting of pedicelled flowers arranged in serial, supra-axillary rows, rarely solitary, or in subumbellate racemes, sometimes becoming paniculate; bracts mostly early caducous.
• Flowers 4-merous, somewhat zygomorphic, bisexual; sepals biseriate, outer pair mostly concave, inner pair flattish; petals variously imbricate, not unguiculate, bases of the 2 posterior ones (upper pair) cohering and surrounding a small disk; stamens (8-)numerous, about twice as long as the petals; ovary on a long gynophore, occasionally abortive; placenta 2-4.
• Fruit a 1-locular, globular, leathery berry.
• Seeds normally numerous, rarely 1, obliquely reniform, embedded in pulp.

The flowers of Capparis are often scented and showy, although the nectar is concealed, and visiting insects are rarely seen. Some species are known to be noctiflorous though, so perhaps those flowers are visited by nightly insects. In Java, C. micracantha flowers mostly from March to December, C. pyrifolia flowers from July-September and fruits from July-February. C. sepiaria flowers from March till December, and when in fruit, often most of the leaves are shed.

In the taxonomic literature the family name is either Capparaceae or Capparidaceae, but the name Capparaceae has been conserved. Capparaceae are closely allied to the Cruciferae, but can be distinguished by the nontetradynamous stamens, the 1-loculed ovary and the usually zygomorphic flower. A complete revision of Capparis in the Old World does not exist at present.

Capparis is most frequently found in sunny, warm and dry habitats with seasonal climatic conditions, such as coastal vegetation, savannas, hedges, light forest, thickets, and forest borders, in lowland and hills up to 1700 m altitude.

Capparis is propagated by seed. The coloured and often sweetish fruits of Capparis are likely to be eaten by birds and other animals and in this way seed is dispersed.

Capparis is attacked by several leaf-spot diseases. The sooty mould Asterostomella horrida occurs on C. micracantha in the Philippines.

Capparis plants are harvested from the wild whenever needed.

Capparis is fairly common in secondary forest and brush land and is therefore not very likely to become liable to genetic erosion. No germplasm collections or breeding programmes are known to exist for the South-East Asian species.

Little information is available on active constituents and pharmacological activity of Capparis, but most species seem to have some antibacterial activity. The fruits of several species might also serve as a local source of vitamin C.

• Gadgoli, C. & Mishra, S.H., 1999. Antihepatotoxic activity of p-methoxy benzoic acid from Capparis spinosa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 66(2): 187-192.
• Jacobs, M., 1960. Capparis. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (Editor): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 6. Wolters-Noordhoff Publishing, Groningen, the Netherlands. pp. 69-93.
• Nyein, M.M., Maung, C. & Bwin, M., 1996. Investigation of antibacterial activity on three traditional medicine formulations. Myanmar Health Sciences Research Journal 8(1): 20-24.
• Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. pp. 68-69.
• Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. pp. 338-340.
• Yadav, P., Sarkar, S. & Bhatnagar, D., 1997. Action of Capparis decidua against alloxan-induced oxidative stress and diabetes in rat tissues. Pharmacological Research 36(3): 221-228.

• F.I. Windadri