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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #270197
Title: Anti-inflammatory effects of caper (capparis spinosa l.) Fruit aqueous extract and the isolation of main phytochemicals

Author
item ZHOU, HAIFENG - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item JIAN, RENJI - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item KANG, JIE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item HUANG, XIAOLING - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item LI, YAN - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item ZHUANG, CHANGLONG - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item YANG, FANG - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item ZHANG, LELE - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item FAN, ZIAO - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item WU, TONG - Shanghai Institute Of Pharmaceutical Industry
item WU, XIANLI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2010
Publication Date: 12/22/2010
Citation: Zhou, H., Jian, R., Kang, J., Huang, X., Li, Y., Zhuang, C., Yang, F., Zhang, L., Fan, Z., Wu, T., Wu, X. 2010. Anti-inflammatory effects of caper (capparis spinosa l.) Fruit aqueous extract and the isolation of main phytochemicals. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 58(24):12717-12721.

Interpretive Summary: Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) fruits have been used as food as well as folk medicine in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatism. The present study was carried out to study the anti-inflammatory activities of caper fruit aqueous extract and to isolate main phytochemicals from its bioactive fractions. Systematic fractionation and isolation led to the identification of 13 compounds. To our knowledge, 8 of these 13 compounds were identified from caper fruits for the first time. The anti-inflammatory effects of these purified compounds are currently under investigation.

Technical Abstract: Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) fruits have been used as food as well as folk medicine in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatism. The present study was carried out to study the anti-inflammatory activities of C. spinosa L. fruit (CSF) aqueous extract and to isolate main phytochemicals from its bioactive fractions. The CSF aqueous extract were separated into three fractions (CSF1-CSF3) by macroporous adsorption resins. The fractions CSF2 and CSF3 effectively inhibited the carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. Systematic fractionation and isolation from CSF2t3 led to the identification of 13 compounds (1-13). Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) and literature comparisons. Major compounds found in the bioactive fraction CSF2t3 are flavonoids, indoles, and phenolic acids. To our knowledge, 8 of these 13 compounds (1-4, 6-7, 10, and 13) were identified from caper fruits for the first time. The anti-inflammatory effects of these purified compounds are currently under investigation.