Résumé:
In the present work, we explore the biological effects of Cyperus esculentus L. or
Hab Elaziz under its aqueous preparation as traditionally used in Algeria. A first
phytochemical screening was performed, followed by the analysis of total polyphenols and
flavonoids contents. Two biological properties "antioxidant and antimicrobial" were
evaluated in vitro. The phytochemical composition of the aqueous extract of yellow nutsedge
revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, saponosides, sterols and terpenoids. The
content of polyphenols as estimated by the Folin-Ciocalteau method was in the range of 1580
± 2.00 mg EAG/100g DM and that of flavonoids in methanolic extracts was in the range of
289 ± 1.53 mg EQ/100g DM. The antioxidant activity of yellow nutsedge was related to its
phenolic composition which was also appreciable (25-32% in the DPPH test and 2.6 to 3
mmoL EAA /mL in the FARP iron reduction test) when tested at 100 or 200 μg/mL aqueous
extract. The water-soluble extracts of yellow nutsedge showed antimicrobial activities against
C. albicans, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa (2 to 4 ±0.1 at 100-200 μg/mL), while the same
aqueous extract showed a maximum antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae (8.1
±1.2 mm at 100 μg/mL). This first study remains preliminary, other aspects should be
explored as a detailed biochemical analysis of the composition and an evaluation of these
biological activities on an animal model.
