Plants from the Capparaceae, etc. Cleome gynandra (L.) Briq., Cleome chelidonii L., Cleome viscosa L.
have widespread medicinal use, both in Thailand and elsewhere in South East Asia. They have many medicinal
applications, often in rubifacient and counter irritant preparations, used for rheumatism and even headaches. C.
viscosa is a subtropical bushy aromatic herb with secretory glandular trichomes. The plant is not eaten by
herbivores in the wild and its leaves and stems are covered with a waxy aromatic odorous chemical mixture which
may have derived from the glandular trichomes. Leaves, leaf juice, and seeds of C. viscosa are used in a range of
medicines due to the presence of glucosinolates, and C. chelidonii is also used to a lesser extent. C. chelidonii
and C. viscosa contain glucocapparin and glucocleomin. (Songsak and Lockwood, 2002). Glucosinolates are the
major organoleptic and bioactive constituents of the Capparaceae and a few other related plant families. The
extracts of Cleome spp. have demonstrated contact insecticidal, repellent, antifeedant and nematicidal properties