Capparis decidua Edgew (Forssk.): A comprehensive review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and nutrapharmaceutical potential

Abstract

Capparis decidua, a medicinal plant of family Capparaceae grows abundantly in wild arid regions of Asia, Africa and Saudi Arabia. The plant has found wide folk medicinal applications along with its nutritional value. C. decidua possessed many pharmacological attributes such as antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, anti-nociceptive, antirheumatic, hypolipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, anti-tumor, antigiardial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticonvulsant activities. These marvellous bioactivities of the caper plant can be attributed to the presence of a wide range of phytochemicals including alkaloids (capparisinine, capparisine, stachydrine, isocodonocarpine), phenolics, flavonoids, sterols and fatty acids. This review focuses on detailed phytochemistry, folk medicinal uses and pharmacological attributes of this multipurpose plant. Moreover, we also covered the importance of plant as a source of functional food and nutrapharmaceuticals.