In vitro protective and anti-inflammatory effects of Capparis spinosa and its flavonoids profile

Multiple beneficial effects have been reported to numerous species of Capparis genus. Among these, Capparis spinosa has exhibited several biological benefits, including anti-inflammatory hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. Herein, C. spinosa was extracted with different solvents and the ability of these fractions to suppress nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells were assessed via Griess reagent. The effects of C. spinosa fractions on different inflammatory markers were also determined in THP-1 and Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) ultra-violet was employed to estimate the presence of three flavonoid compounds, namely, apigenin, kaempferol, and rutin. Our results indicate that chloroform (CHCl3) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions of C. spinosa exhibited a promising anti-inflammatory activity via in vitro inhibition of NO in lipopolysaccharide stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Pretreated stimulated THP-1 cells with either CHCl3 or EtOAc fractions showed decreased expression of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor Alpha in a dose-dependent manner. In HUVEC cells, both fractions downregulate the expression of IL-1 beta, upregulate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha PPAR-alpha while no significant impact was observed on PPAR-gamma gene expression. The presence of apigenin, kaempferol, and rutin in the crude extract has been confirmed through HPLC method. Collectively, these results support the ethnopharmacological usage of C. spinosa as a potential therapy for inflammation related conditions including atherosclerosis.