Semi-shrub with a woody main stem, from which recumbent long branches up to 2 m long depart in all directions. Numerous small leaves are round or elliptical in shape with a point at the top, on short petioles, at the base of the petioles there are stipules in the form of spines. The flowers are solitary, large (5-8 cm in diameter), white, sometimes with a cream or pinkish tint (quite spectacular against the background of dark foliage). The plant blooms in May-June, sometimes twice (in September-October). Fruits are oblong-oval, fleshy, berry-like, up to 2 cm long, green. When ripe, they open with four twisting wings of bright red color on the inside, on which there are numerous brown seeds. The root is thick, powerful, 10-12 m long, burning; fresh roots cause burns and irritation of the mucous membranes.
Prickly capers grow on loess, stony-rubbly slopes and screes, less often on shallow-earth slopes and plains, traditionally in the foothills of the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Western Pamirs at an altitude of 400-1000 m.
Medicinal raw materials are roots or bark of roots, branches, leaves and seeds.
Root bark powder, infusion or decoction is taken orally for brucellosis, jaundice, liver disease, nerve weakness, especially hysteria, sciatica, rheumatism and other diseases.
The fruits of capers are eaten for pain in the joints, sciatica and neuroses. It is believed that the fruits strengthen the liver, heart, spleen and lungs, and also help with goiter, diabetes, sore throat and poor digestion. Powder from caper buds improves appetite and is useful in diseases of the liver and spleen.
With paralysis of the limbs, sciatica and rheumatism, take a bath from the bark of the roots. The fresh bark of the roots is chewed for toothache. Dry powder from the bark of the roots or decoctions of the roots are used externally to treat wounds and ulcers.
The juice from the leaves is drunk as an anthelmintic.
Application
Infusion of root bark: 20 g of it insist 1-2 hours in 0.5 liters of boiling water and drink 1/2 cup of infusion 3 times every day before meals.