Capparis spinosa L., commonly known as the caper bush, is an aromatic plant growing in most of the Mediterranean basin and some parts of Western 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.
Keywords: Capparis spinosa; capers; pharmacological activities; phytochemicals; socio-economy.
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