The discovery of Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) in the Yanghai Tombs (2800 years b.p.), NW China, and its medicinal implications

Hong-En Jiang; Xiao Li; David K Ferguson; Yu-Fei Wang; Chang-Jiang Liu; Cheng-Sen Li

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.06.020

The discovery of Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) in the Yanghai Tombs (2800 years b.p.), NW China, and its medicinal implications

J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Sep 25;113(3):409-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.06.020. Epub 2007 Jul 4.

Authors

Hong-En Jiang¹, Xiao Li, David K Ferguson, Yu-Fei Wang, Chang-Jiang Liu, Cheng-Sen Li

Affiliation

¹ State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20 Lin xin cun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China.

PMID: 17693045
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.06.020

Abstract

Seed clumps of Capparis spinosa L. together with shoots, leaves and fruits of Cannabis sativa L. were unearthed in the Yanghai Tombs, Turpan District in Xinjiang, China. This is the first time that plant remains of Capparis spinosa have been discovered in China and the eastern part of Central Asia. Based on the joint occurrence of Capparis spinosa and Cannabis sativa, and the pharmacological value of the seeds of Capparis spinosa, it is deduced that caper was utilized for medicinal purposes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Archaeology*
Capparis* / anatomy & histology
Capparis* / ultrastructure
China
Humans
Plants, Medicinal / anatomy & histology
Plants, Medicinal / ultrastructure
Seeds / anatomy & histology
Seeds / ultrastructure