Gen info
- Capparis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Capparaceae, which includes 142 species of shrubs and lianas, collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes.    (14)
- The genus was included in the family Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system.   (14)
- Etymology: The genus name Capparis derives from the ancient Greek name for evergreen shrubs. The species epithet micracanta  derives from Greek words mikros, meaning samll, and anthos, referring to the small flowers.

Botany
• Salimbagat is a smooth, half-erect shrub with drooping branches or a vine growing to 2 to 4 meters, with short, sharp and nearly straight stipular thorns. Leaves are oblong to oblong-elliptic, 8 to 17 centimeters long, leathery, shiny, with a blunt apex and rounded base. Flowers are in vertical line along the branches above the leaf axils, shortly pedicelled, 2 to 6 in a series, the uppermost one of each series opening first. Sepals are pale green. Petals are oblong or elliptic, 1 centimeter long. Fruit is ovoid or rounded, 4 to 5 centimeters long, smooth and bright red when ripe. Rind is thin, somewhat stony. Within the rind is a whitish and transparent sweet pulp with a fairly good flavor. Numerous seeds are embedded in the pulp.

• Growth form: A half-erect shrub or tree with hanging branches up to 10 m tall, with spiny trunk and twigs. Foliage: Alternate, stalked leaves possess leathery leaf blades that are oblong, occasionally almost lance-shaped, dull yellowish-green when dry, and 6.4–30 by 2.5–13 cm, with blunt or slightly pointed tips. Flowers: Flowering shoot bears rows of 2–6 white, feathery flowers above the leaf’s axil. Its flowers are also about 2.5 cm long and wide, with much reduced leaves at the end of the twig. The yellow, upper petals turn dull purple, with white tips, while its lateral petals are white. Fruits: Light yellowish-brown fruits are nearly round, and 3–7 by 3–4.5 cm, with four vertical grooves. They also contain numerous seeds embedded in the orangish-red pulp. Its red to shiny black seeds are smooth, and up to 6–8 by 4–7 cm. (16)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In thickets, second-growth forests,  along rivers and creeks, at low and medium altitudes, from northern Luzon to Mindanao.
- Also native to Andaman Is., Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam. (7)

Constituents
- Study of stems of C. micracantha isolated five compounds: an indole alkaloid (methyl 6-methoxy-3-indolecarbonate), a benzoic acid derivative (vanillic acid), a lignan [(−)-syringaresinol], and two stilbene dimers [(+)-ampelopsin A and (−)-pauciflorol E]. (see study below) (18)

Properties
- Studies have suggested antibacterial, antituberculosis, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

Parts utilized
Roots, bark, wood.

Uses
Edibility
- Fruit reportedly edible, with a sweet aromatic flavor. However, also reported unsafe to eat unripe. (9)
- Flower buds are widely used as pickled vegetable condiment. (14)
Folkloric
- In the Philippines, decoction of roots used for stomach pains and as uterine tonic after childbirth.
- Plant also used for asthma and for breast pains.
- Bark is used as diuretic and used for bronchitis and nasal ulcerations.
- In Cambodia, roots and wood used as diuretic.
- In the Yasothon province of Thailand, roots used as tonic; also, for tuberculosis.
- Stems used for breast cancer.
- In India, root is grated with water and used to treat quotidian fever.
- In Indonesia, root is employed as a diuretic; infusion with other ingredients used for bronchitis.
- In Thailand, root decoction used for fever and to strengthen body elements. (12)
- Juice from roots drunk to reduce fever, promote urination, and as remedy for cough. Wood is smoked to heal syphilitic ulceration of the nose; seeds used to treat cough. In Indonesia, wood preparations used to relieve stomachache, biliousness and dizziness. (15)
Others
- Benchalokawichian (BCW): Capparis micracantha, along with Ficus racemosa, Clerodendrum petasites, Harrisonia perforata, and Tiliacora triandra, is one of five root components of the Thai traditional herbal formulation, Bench-Loga-Wichienis, also known as Ha-Rak formula (HRK) used for allergic disorders, fever, and skin disorders.

Studies
• Anti-Cancer / Antituberculosis / Non-Cytotoxicity: Study of hexane extract of the leaves of Capparis micracantha showed lung cancer inhibition. The hexane and dichlormethane extracts of flowers showed anti-tuberculosis activity. All crude extracts showed non-cytotoxicity against Vero cells. (3)
• Antibacterial / Benchalokawichian Remedy: Study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of a Thai traditional formula, Benchalokawichian remedy, which has shown antipyretic and antiseptic properties on previous studies. The water extracts of the components (Capparis micracantha, Tiliacora triandra, and Harrisonia perforata) inhibited the Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains tested. Only T. triandra showed activity against C. albicans growth. (6)
• Potential Contact Allergy: Study of an ethanolic extract of Thai medicinal formula “Benjalokawichien (Ha-Rak)” showed phenolic content with good anti-IgE effect. Tests showed no irritation or human skin allergic reaction. Extract of Capparis micracantha DC root caused an allergic reaction and suggests it may not be safe to use as active ingredient in topical preparations for skin. (8)
• Antioxidant / Antibacterial / Stems: Study evaluated the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, and antibacterial activity of crude extract of stems of C. micracantha. A methanol extract showed highest antioxidant activity with IC50 of 2.4 mg/ml. Water extraction showed high total phenolic content with 10,1365.9 mg GAE/g dw. Methanol and aqueous extract showed remarkable inhibition of bacterial growth against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. (11)
• Antioxidant / Antibacterial / Anti-Inflammatory: The IC50s for Capparis micracantha in DPPH assay was 2.4 mg/mL. Methanol extracts were shown to be effective against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus using agar diffusion method. Ethyl acetate, methanol amd water fractions were found to be effective against S. epidermis. Another study showed cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties. (17)
• Anti-Inflammatory / Stems: isolates from stems were tested for inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells compared with a positive control (indomethacin). (−)-Pauciflorol E and methyl 6-methoxy-3-indolecarbonate from C. micracantha stems exhibited half maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 123.40 ± 4.51 and 198.00 ± 5.57 µM, respectively. (see study above) (18)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Medicinal plants used in the Loengnoktha District / Thai Journal of Phytopharmacy Vol. 9(2) Dec. 2002
(2)
STUDIES ON ALKALOIDS / Shoib Arif / Thesis /
(3)
ANTI-CANCER AND ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS ACTIVITY OF THE CRUDE EXTRACTS FROM Capparis micracantha DC / Itsara Khantikaew et al / 33rd Congress on Science and Technology of Thailand /
(4)
Capparis micracantha DC. (accepted name) / Chinese names / Catalogue of Life, China
(5)
Sorting Capparis names / Maintained by: Michel H. Porcher / MULTILINGUAL MULTISCRIPT PLANT NAME DATABASE / A Work in Progress. School of Agriculture and Food Systems. Faculty of Land & Food Resources. The University of Melbourne. Australia / Copyright © 1997 - 2000 The University of Melbourne.
(6)
Antimicrobial activity of the extracts from Benchalokawichian remedy and its components. / Nuaeissara S, Kondo S, Itharat A. / J Med Assoc Thai. 2011 Dec;94 Suppl 7:S172-7.
(7)
Capparis micrantha / Synonyms / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(8)
A CLINICAL STUDY PHASE I ON SAFETY OF THAI MEDICINAL FORMULA “BENJALOKAWICHIEN (HA-RAK)” AND EACH PLANT COMPONENT EXTRACT. / Warumpa Suwannarat, Mali Achariyakul, Arunporn Itharat, Somboon Kiettinun / Thammasat Medical Journal, Vol 12, No 4, 2012
(9)
Capparis micracantha / Useful Tropical Plants
(10)
Capparis micracantha: Vernacular names / GlobInMed
(11)
Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Thai medicinal plant (Capparis micracantha) / Nonglak Laoprom, Araya Sangprom, Patcharaporn Chaisri / April 2018 -- AIP Conference Proceedings 1954(1):030007 / DOI: 10.1063/1.5033387
(12)
Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in Phatthalung Province, Peninsular Thailand / Katesarin Maneenoon, Chuanchom Khuniad, Yaowalak Teanuan, Nisachon Saedan, Supatra Prom-in, Nitiphol Rukleng, Watid Kongpool, Phongsura Pinsook, and Winyu Wongwiwat / Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2015; 11:43 / https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0031-5
(13)
The Effects of Thai Herbal Ha-Rak Formula on COX Isoform Expression in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Induced by IL-1 / Titchaporn Palo, Athiwat Thaworn et / Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol 2017 / DOI: 10.115/2017/9383272
(14)
Capparis / Wikipedia
(15)
Capparis micrantha / AsianPlantNet
(16)
Capparis micracantha subsp. karthalsiana / National Parks: FLORA & FAUNA WEB
(17)
Chapter 10 - Genus Capparis: Chemical, nutritional composition and biological activity / Imran Uysal, Falah Saleh Mohammed, Mustafa Sevindik et al / Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, 2024; Volume 81: pp 367-386 / DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-15628-1.00009-X
(18)
Chemical constituents and nitric oxide inhibitory activity of capparis micracantha and maerua siamensis / Sasiwimon Nukulkit / Dissertation: 2022 / DOI: 10.58837/CHULA.THE.2022.299

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)