Phytochemical and Pharmacological Activities on Capparis sepiaira L. Leaves

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of Capparis sepiaira L. leaves. Methods: Fresh leaves were collected from Konganapuram, Salem district, Tamil Nadu, and authenticated. Pharmacognostical studies including macroscopic, microscopic, and powder microscopy analyses were performed. The powdered leaves were subjected to successive Soxhlet extraction using petroleum ether and ethanol. Preliminary phytochemical screening was conducted on both extracts to detect various bioactive constituents. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against five pathogenic strains (Candida albicans, Acinetobacter baumannii, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Shigella sonnei) using the agar well diffusion method. Results: Macroscopic examination revealed dark green, simple, petiolate, dorsi-ventral leaves. Microscopical studies showed the presence of cyclocytic sunken stomata on both surfaces, palisade and spongy mesophyll tissues, prismatic and druce crystals, and vascular bundles. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the ethanolic leaf extract confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, proteins, and reducing sugars. Antioxidant assays demonstrated concentration-dependent free radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values of 78.3 μg/mL (DPPH) and 72.6 μg/mL (ABTS). Antimicrobial evaluation revealed dose-dependent activity, with maximum inhibition zones against C. albicans (12.3 ± 0.5 mm) and S. sonnei (11.4 ± 0.1 mm) at 100 μg/mL concentration. Conclusion: Capparis sepiaira L. leaves possess significant phytochemical diversity and demonstrate moderate antioxidant and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, validating their traditional medicinal uses. The findings suggest the leaves as a promising natural source for developing therapeutic agents, warranting further isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds.