Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundus.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundus (C. rotundus).

METHODS

The phytochemical study and the antioxidant activities of both methanol and aqueous extracts from C. rotundus aerial part were determined. In addition, these extracts were also investigated for their cytotoxic and apoptotic activities. The major compound of the methanol extract was isolated. Both methanol and aqueous extracts (300, 150, and 50 μg/mL) were evaluated for their antioxidant activity by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay system. However, 16, 8, and 4 mg/mL of each extract were tested to investigate their OH. formation scavenging potential. Aqueous extract (800, 400, and 200 μg/mL) and methanol extract (350, 175, and 88 μg/mL) were tested against lipid peroxidation, induced by 75 μM H2O2. The cytotoxicity (by MTT assay) and cell DNA fragmentation of both extracts were evaluated towards K562 and L1210 cell lines. The major compound was obtained from the butanol fraction of methanol extract and its structure was determined by RMN spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTS

The methanol and aqueous extracts showed respectively, 88% and 19% inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity. Yet, the same extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation by 61.5% and 42.0%, respectively. Both extracts inhibited OH. formation by 27.1% and 25.3%, respectively. Only methanol extract induced DNA degradation. Orientin was determined as the major compound isolated from the butanol fraction of methanol extract.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that C. rotundus extracts exhibit a potential use as a natural antioxidant and an apoptosis inducer.