Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundus

Objective: To evaluate in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundas (C. rotundas). Methods: The phytochemical study and the antioxidant activities of both methanol and aqueous extracts from C. rotundas 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 mu g/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 center dot formation scavenging potential. Aqueous extract (800, 400, and 200 mu g/mL) and methanol extract (350, 175, and 88 mu g/mL) were tested against lipid peroxidation, induced by 75 mu M 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 front 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 center dot 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. rotundas extracts exhibit a potential use as a natural antioxidant and an apoptosis inducer.