since ancient Egyptian times, long before people understood its mechanism of action.A new study from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine shows a similar story for capers, which people around the world consume and also use in traditional medicine.The study, which appears in Communications Biology, finds that a compound in pickled capers activates potassium channels that regulate the activity of the heart and brain.
The researchers say that their findings could aid the design of new drugs for epilepsy and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms).The authors of the study note that humans have been eating capers for more than 10,000 years.