Phytochemical, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antigenotoxic potentials of Cyperus rotundus extracts

The aqueous, ethyl acetate, methanolic and Total Oligomer Flavonoids (TOF) enriched extracts, obtained from the aerial parts of Cyperus rotundus, were investigated for their contents in phenolic compounds. Antioxidative activity using the NBT/riboflavin assay system, antimicrobial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial reference strains as well as antigenotoxic activity tested with the SOS chromotest assay were also studied. Significant antibacterial activity against reference strains; Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium, was detected in the presence of ethyl acetate and TOF enriched extracts. In addition to their antimicrobial activity, the same extracts showed a significant ability to inhibit nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by the superoxide radical in a non enzymatic O₂^.− generating system, and were also able to reduce significantly the genotoxicity induced by nifuroxazide and Aflatoxin B1. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and antigenotoxic activities exhibited by C. rotundus depend on the chemical composition of the tested extracts.