Investigation of extracts from (Tunisian) Cyperus rotundus as antimutagens and radical scavengers

This study evaluates mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of aqueous, total oligomers flavonoids (TOF), ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from aerial parts of Cyperus rotundus with the Salmonella typhimurium assay system. The different extracts showed no mutagenicity when tested with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1538 either with or without the S9 mix. On the other hand, our results showed that all extracts have antimutagenic activity against Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in TA 100 and TA98 assay system, and against sodium azide in TA 100 and TA 1535 assay system. TOF, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts exhibited the highest inhibition level of the Ames response induced by the indirect mutagen AFB1. Whereas, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts exhibited the highest level of protection towards the direct mutagen, sodium azide, induced response. In addition to antimutagenic activity, these extracts showed an important free radical scavenging activity towards the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. TOF, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts showed IC50 value of 15, 14 and 20 mu g/ml, respectively. Taken together, our finding showed that C. rotundus exhibits significant antioxidant and antimutagenic activities. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All fights reserved.