PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THE PLANT CYPERUS TEGETUM ROXB

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study is to isolate the lead molecules and the antioxidant activity is also evaluated. Method: Cyperus tegetum Roxb. (Cyperaceae) is found in the tribal area of West Midnapur district of West Bengal, India. It is commonly known as Madur Kathi. Different chromatographic techniques, namely, thin-layer chromatography, column chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to isolate and identify the different secondary metabolites. Results: The different spectral studies (nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR], infrared [IR], and ultraviolet [UV]) confirmed the presence of stigmasterol as an isolated compound from the extract of C. tegetum (ECT). HPLC analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, namely, rutin (retention time [Rt]: 3.00), myricetin (Rt: 3.9), and quercetin (Rt: 5.6) and phenolic acids, namely, gallic acid (Rt: 4.0), caffeic acid (Rt: 5.4), chlorogenic acid (Rt: 7.3), and ferulic acid (Rt: 8.8) in ECT. ECT showed strong reducing power, diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate radical, superoxide anion scavenging, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities when compared to standard compounds. Conclusion: From this study, several flavonoid and phenolic compounds were identified by RP-HPLC analysis. Flavonoids are rutin, quercetin, and myricetin and phenolic compounds are gallic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid, respectively. The different spectral studies (NMR, IR, and UV) confirmed the presence of stigmasterol as an isolated compound from ECT.