Capparis spinosa Fruit Ethanol Extracts Exert Different Effects on the Maturation of Dendritic Cells

Quality variation and biosynthesis of anti-inflammatory compounds for Capparis spinosa based on the metabolome and transcriptome analysis

Introduction

Capparis spinosa L. fruits as edible and medicinal plant, has anti-inflammatory activities. The different morphological characteristics of C. spinosa fruits from Ili, Turpan, and Karamay may affect their anti-inflammatory components and functions.

Methods

The anti-inflammatory activity of C. spinosa fruit was assessed using an LPS-induced inflammatory cell model. Furthermore, the differences in anti-inflammatory compounds were analyzed by metabolome and RNA-seq. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory mechanism was elucidated using network pharmacology.

Results

In the study, we found that the 95% ethanol extracts (CSE) obtained from the three kinds of fruits showed remarkable anti-inflammatory effects both in vivo and in vitro. However, the CSE derived from Ili fruits significantly reduced CD86 levels on DCs. As a result of metabolomic analysis, the metabolic profiles of Ili fruits differed significantly from those of the other two habitats, which were consistent with transcriptome analysis. A total of 15 compounds exhibiting anti-inflammatory activity were subjected to screening, revealing a greater accumulation of flavonoids in the Turpan and Karamay districts. Notably, phenolic compounds were identified as the principal anti-inflammatory components in C. spinosa.

Conclusion

There were significant differences in the morphology, metabolites, transcriptional levels, and anti-inflammatory activity of C. spinosa from the three districts.

Capparis spinosa L. as a potential source of nutrition and its health benefits in foods: A comprehensive review of its phytochemistry, bioactivities, safety, and application

Capparis spinosa L. (C. spinosa) is an edible plant with health-promoting benefits. C. spinosa possesses various biological activities, including antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antibacterial, and insecticidal effects. The active compounds associated with these effects mainly include flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, volatile oils, fatty acids, and polysaccharides. Moreover, C. spinosa has considerable nutritional value. Apart from being a food condiment, it belongs to a class of functional ingredients that act as preservatives and antioxidants in food products. C. spinosa has also shown good potential applications in novel food packaging materials. In this article, in addition to systematically reviewing the botanical characteristics, traditional edible uses, phytochemical composition, bioactivities and safety of C. spinosa, we highlight for the first time its potential applications in the foods. The findings will provide critical information for the future development of C. spinosa into a multifunctional food product with essential roles in health benefits.

The Current State of Knowledge about the Biological Activity of Different Parts of Capers

The caper, from the Latin capra, meaning goat, is the common name for the salt-fermented floral buds of the perennial shrubs of the Capparis genus (Capparacea family). This genus is represented by about 250 species, including the very popular C. spinosa L. While the whole plant is edible, the aromatic floral buds are most widely consumed, being collected by hand prior to blooming, dried in the sun and pickled. Capers are usually served marinated in vinegar, brine or oil. They have a significant potential as dietary supplements due to their low calorie content and richness in bioactive phytochemicals. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that C. spinosa have various nutritional and biological properties, including antioxidant activity resulting from the presence of phenolic compounds. The present paper reviews the current literature concerning the biological properties of the fruits, buds, seeds, roots and leaves of C. spinosa, including their toxicity.

In vitro efficacy of Capparis spinosa extraction against larvae viability of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic zoonotic parasitic disease caused by infection with the larvae of the Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) cluster. Currently, new drugs are urgently required due to the poor therapeutic effect of the existing drugs albendazole and mebendazole. Capparis spinosa, a traditional medicinal plant, has potential therapeutic effects on various diseases based on extracts from its fruit and other parts. The results of this study demonstrated that the water-soluble and ethanolic extracts of C. spinosa fruit had in vitro killing effects on the larvae of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) and disrupted the ultrastructure of protoscoleces and metacestodes. In vitro cytotoxicity assays showed that the water-soluble and ethanolic extracts of C. spinosa fruit were not significantly toxic to primary mouse hepatocytes at an effective dose to CE. In conclusion, water-soluble and ethanolic extracts of C. spinosa fruit have great potential for the development of new drugs for the treatment of CE.

The effect of lizards on the dispersal and germination of Capparis spinosa (Capparaceae)

Seed dispersal is a key component of the interactions between plants and animals. There is little research on the effects of lizard seed dispersal, which is more common on islands than elsewhere. In this study, the effects of the passage of Capparis spinosa seeds through Teratoscincus roborowskii lizard digestive tracts on the seed coats, water uptake rates and germination rates were investigated. In addition, the spatial patterns of fecal deposition by lizards in various microhabitats were assessed. Our results showed that the mean retention time (MRT) of mealworms was significantly longer than that of C. spinosa seeds in both adult and juvenile lizards. The defecation rate of C. spinosa tended to be lower than that of mealworms, which might be beneficial for seed dispersal. It was determined that the longer MRT of C. spinosa seeds enhanced the permeability of the seed coats, which promoted fast water uptake, broke seed dormancy and increased the seed germination rate. Furthermore, the seeds that passed through the digestive tracts of lizards were deposited in favorable germination microhabitats. By enhancing seed germination and depositing intact and viable seeds in safe potential recruitment sites, the lizard T. roborowskii acts, at least qualitatively, as an effective disperser of C. spinosa.

The effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of Capparis spinosa (C. spinosa) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and cognitive impairment: Evidence from in vivo and in vitro studies

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Capparis spinose (C. spinosa) belonging to Capparaeae, originates from dry areas in the west or central Asia and Mediterranean basin. For thousands of years, C. spinosa has been reported to be used as a therapeutic traditional medicine to relieve various ailments including rheumatism, pain and inflammatory diseases.

AIM OF THE STUDY

There are several studies mentioning that systemic inflammation results in learning and memory impairments through the activation of microglia. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of C. spinosa on both in vivo and in vitro models of neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment using lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vivo: 40 male rats were used in the present study. Cognitive impairment was induced using LPS (1 mg/kg/d; i.p.) for 4 weeks. Treatment with C. spinosa (100 and 300 mg/kg/d; p.o.) was performed 1 h before LPS administration. At the end of the experiment, rats were undergone for behavioral and biochemical analysis. In vitro: Primary microglia isolated from mouse was used in the present study. The cells were pretreated with C. spinosa extract (10-300 μg/ml) and then stimulated with LPS (1 μg/ml). The expression levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were elucidated using Real-Time PCR and ELISA methods.

RESULTS

The escape latency in the Morris water maze test in the LPS group was significantly greater than the control group (p < 0.001), while, in extract-treated groups, it was less than the LPS group (p < 0.001). Additionally, we found that the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and iNOS/Arg-1 ratio was also significantly lower in extract-treated groups than the LPS group (p < 0.001). The results revealed that C. spinosa extract significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α, iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, NO and PGE2, and the ratios of iNOS/Arg-1 and NO/urea, following the LPS-induced inflammation in microglia (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our finding provides evidence that C. spinosa has a neuroprotective effect, and might be considered as an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglial activation, such as AD.

Comparison of the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa fruit, quercetin and vitamin E on monosodium glutamate-induced toxicity in rats

Capparis spinosa L. has many biological effects such as antioxidant properties. In the present study, we compared the effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa fruit, quercetin (Q), and vitamin E (Vit E) on monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced toxicity. The following groups were designed: Control groups (normal saline and/or corn oil); MSG group (4.00 g kg^-1 MSG); MSG + low dose extract group (4.00 g kg^-1 MSG with 100.00 mg kg^-1 extract); MSG + high dose extract (HDE) group (4.00 g kg^-1 MSG with 300.00 mg kg^-1 extract); MSG + Q group (4.00 g kg^-1 MSG with 10.00 mg kg^-1 Q); MSG + Vit E group (4.00 g kg^-1 MSG with 200.00 mg kg^-1 Vit E). All chemicals were orally administered for 14 consecutive days. Tissue specimens from the heart, kidney, and liver tissues and blood samples were collected for histopathological and biochemical evaluations. The results showed that the MSG-induced tissue edema, congestion, and inflammatory cell infiltration were resolved by HDE, Q, and Vit E treatments. These chemicals also restored tissue malondialdehyde level and superoxide dismutase activity. Besides, alterations induced by MSG in serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, urea, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase-MB were also resolved. It is concluded that Capparis spinosa fruit extract, Q and Vit E can produce approximately similar protective effects on tissue function through oxidative stress alleviation and antioxidant mechanisms restoration.

Plant-derived polysaccharides activate dendritic cell-based anti-cancer immunity

Today, cancers pose a major public health burden. Although a myriad of cancer treatments are available, only a few have achieved clinical efficacy. This is partly attributed to cancers capability to evade host immunity by converting dendritic cells (DCs) from potent stimulators to negative modulators of immunity. Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy attempts to resolve this problem by manipulating the functional characteristics of DCs. Plant-derived polysaccharides (PDPs) can stimulate the maturation of DCs conferring on them the capacity to present internalised tumorigenic antigens to naïve T cells and subsequently priming T cells to eliminate tumours. PDPs have been used as immune modulators and later as anti-cancer agents by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners for centuries. They are abundant in nature and form a large group of heterogeneous though structurally related macromolecules that exhibit diverse immunological properties. They can induce antigen pulsed DCs to acquire functional characteristics in vitro which can subsequently be re-introduced into cancer patients. They can also be used as adjuvants in DC-based vaccines or independently for their intrinsic anti-tumour activities. Clinically, some in vitro generated DCs have been shown to be both safe and immunogenic although their clinical application is limited in part by unsatisfactory functional maturation as well as impaired migration to draining lymph nodes where T cells reside. We review the relative potencies of individual PDPs to induce both phenotypic and functional maturation in DCs, their relative abilities to activate anti-cancer immunity, the possible mechanisms by which they act and also the challenges surrounding their clinical application.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Capparis spinosa as a Medicinal Plant

Over the past decades, there has been increasing attention on polyphenol-rich foods including fruits and vegetables on human health. Polyphenols have been shown to possess some potential beneficial effects on human health and they are widely found in foods consumed by populations worldwide. Capparis spinosa (C. spinosa) is an important source of different secondary metabolites of interest to humankind. The traditional therapeutic applications of C. spinosa have been reported in Ancient Romans. Numerous bioactive phytochemical constituents have been isolated and identified from different parts (aerial parts, roots and seeds) of C. spinosa which are responsible alone or in combination for its various pharmacological activities. Therefore, this paper is a review of publications on the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of C. spinosa. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that C. spinosa or its extracts are able to improve the biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, these studies used different parts of C. spinosa plant, methods of preparation and types of solvents, which cause the evaluation of activity of C. spinosa difficult and involve quite heterogeneous data. There is also evidence, although limited, to suggest benefits of C. spinosa in improving human health. Therefore, the relationship between C. spinosa and improved human health outcomes requires further study.