Effets biologiques de Cyperus esculentus L.

Abstract

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.