Cyperus rotundus cyperaceae: a study of phytochemistry, total polyphenol content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity

Abstract

Cyperus rotundus is a folk medicine with many benefits such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, etc. It is widely used in many parts of the world. This study provided data on the phytochemical composition of Cyperus rotundus rhizome, including the active groups of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and triterpenoids. The polyphenols content in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cyperus rotundus were 26.89 ± 4.33 (mgGAE/g) and 51.84 ± 6.46 (mgGAE/g), respectively. While, the flavonoids content in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cyperus rotundus were 78.03 ± 3.11 (mgQE/g) and 20.28 ± 2.25 (mgQE/g), respectively. According to the ABTS assay, the IC50 values of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts were 117.8 ± 19.85 (μg/ml) and 162.02 ± 11.43 (μg/ml), respectively. According to the DPPH assay, the IC50 values of Cyperus rotundus extracted by water and alcohol were 337.42 ± 22.84 (μg/ml) and 447.53 ± 33.8 (μg/ml), respectively. With the rich presence of secondary compounds, antioxidant activity confirmed in many studies, Cyperus rotundus is evaluated as having potential applications in many different fields such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods.