Capparis spinosa L., known as caper, is an aromatic plant growing in most of the Mediterranean basin and some parts in the west of Asia. C. spinosa L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for quite a long time in conventional phytomedicine. Polyphenols and numerous bioactive chemicals extracted from C. spinosa L. display various therapeutic properties that have made this plant a target for further research as a health promoter. This review is meant to systematically summarize the traditional uses, the phytochemical composition of C. spinosa L., and the diverse pharmacological activities, as well as the synthetic routes to derivatives of some identified chemical components for the improvement of biological activities and enhancement of pharmacokinetic profiles. This review also addresses the benefits of C. spinosa L. in adapting to climate change and the socio-economic value that C. spinosa L. brings to the rural economies of many countries.

Capparis spinosa L., known as caper, is an aromatic plant growing in most of the Mediterranean basin and some parts in the west of Asia. C. spinosa L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for quite a long time in conventional phytomedicine. Polyphenols and numerous bioactive chemicals extracted from C. spinosa L. display various therapeutic properties that have made this plant a target for further research as a health promoter. This review is meant to systematically summarize the traditional uses, the phytochemical composition of C. spinosa L., and the diverse pharmacological activities, as well as the synthetic routes to derivatives of some identified chemical components for the improvement of biological activities and enhancement of pharmacokinetic profiles. This review also addresses the benefits of C. spinosa L. in adapting to climate change and the socio-economic value that C. spinosa L. brings to the rural economies of many countries.

Capparis spinosa L., commonly known as the caper bush, is a spiny shrub known for its edible flower buds and its use as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine. While performing bio-guided isolation of active compounds from Capparis spinosa L. leaves and buds, large amounts of bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT, a.k.a. dioctyl terephthalate or DOTP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were isolated from a fraction from the leaf extract that showed antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. The structures of these two compounds were confirmed by NMR and mass spectroscopic data, which matched with those from the standards that were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. DEHT and DEHP are phthalic and terephthalic acid esters, the main plasticizers that are used to confer elasticity and flexibility to various fiber and plastic products. This is the first time DEHT and DEHP have been isolated from the leaves of a plant that is as commonly used as Capparis spinosa L. This study adds to the increase in the detection of plasticizers in our food and medicine sources and to the alarming concern about the potential effects of these compounds on human health.