Evaluation of the Capparis Herbacea Willd's Chemistry, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activity

The Capparidaceae family includes the medicinal herb Capparis herbacea Willd. The aerial and underground parts of plant C.herbacea were studied for their chemical composition, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties.

Using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (7890A/5975C), 94 chemicals were identified in ethanol extract from leaves, roots, seeds, and stems of C. herbacea. Main components were (leaves) phytol 18.16%, hexanedioic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester 16.75%, vitamin E 11.95%, (roots) sucrose 13.94%, hexadecanoic acid, ethylester 22.80%, octadecanoic acid, ethylester 37.77%; (seeds) hexadecanoic acid, ethylester 13.96%, ethyl9.cis.,11.trans.-octadecadienoate 48.54%, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 9.77%; (stems) 1-propene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, tributyl ester 42.69%, and tributylacetylcitrate 19.63%. Nine components were identified in the makeup of the C. herbacea sample's essential oil using the method of chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The main components were (in%): T-cadinol (29.56), meta-cymene (16.12), pulegone (14.11), and σ-amorphene (12.26). Chloroform and methanol extracts of Capparis herbacia roots at concentrations of 1 mg/ml showed higher average antioxidant activity, while ethyl acetate root extract at concentrations of 0.75 and 1 mg/ml showed higher average antioxidant activity compared to gallic acid AOA.

In addition, plant extracts have cytotoxic activity. Essential oils of leaves and stems, fruit and roots of Capparis herbacia plants exhibited cytotoxicity, all larvae died, and larval mortality was 96%.