A review on the pharmacological properties of caper (Capparis spinosa L.)

Traditional medicine is extremely important for the treatment of many diseases like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and others. However, herbal medicine is considered as one of the therapeutic agents to manage health and treat human diseases [1, 2, 3, 4]. They contain bioactive components [5, 6, 7, 8]. In fact, they are acquiring a uniform more important role within the pharmaceutical industries, because of the presence of physiologically active phytochemical compounds capable of conferring various health benefits [9, 10, 11, 12]. In this context we are interested in caper, it is a perennial shrub spontaneous, xerophytic and heliophilous [13], belongs to the Capparidaceae family [14, 15, 16, 17], has a high socio-economic value and presents a diverse valorization due to their multiple uses (food, medicinal, cosmetic, economic, ornamental...) [4, 18, 19]. The main product of this species is the caper, a flagship product highly appreciated and demanded by the national and international market [20] The genus of Capparis is represented by several species (about 250), It is known by different names: Caper (English) [16], Alaf-e-Mar(Persian) [21], Cappero (Italy) [22], Alcaparro (Spain) [16] Kabbar (Arabic) [23]. Capparis spinosa grows in different regions of the world, it is considered native to the Mediterranean, southern Europe, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula [14, 24, 25, 26, 27]. In Tunisia, Capparis spinosa var. inermis is present in the national park of Zembra [28]. The collection of capers plays an important socio-economic role in several semi-arid and arid regions [29]…