Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION AND GC-MS ANALYSIS OF CYPERUS ROTUNDUS

Eman Ahmed El-Wakil, Eman Abdalla Morsi and Heba Abel-Hady*

ABSTRACT

Cyperus rotundus L. commonly called nut grass is a highly potent traditional herbal drug used for the treatment of a number of ailments. The present study was aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity as well as determine the possible bioactive components of Cyperus rotundus rhizomes using GC-MS analysis. In this study, the plant rhizomes were extracted with 85% methanol and quantitative phytochemical screening was determined. Also, antimicrobial activity of the plant was estimated against fungi and bacteria (Gram positive and Gram negative) by using the agar well diffusion method. The chemical compositions of the methanol extract of Cyperus rotundus rhizomes were investigated using Gas chromatography The results exhibited that the plant has antimicrobial activity against the tested species except Proteus vulgaris. Forty four compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis; linolenic acid (21.9%) was found to be major component followed by hexadecanoic acid, 2-methyl-ester(9.1%), γ – curjunene (5.72%), oleic acid (5.45%), 1-(+)-ascorbic acid 2,6 dihexadecanoate (5.39%), larixol (3.76%), limonen-6-ol,pivalate (3.63%), longipinocarvone (3.11%), methyl stearate (3.11%), aristolone (2.84%), sclareol (2.44%), dodecanoic acid (2.29%) and platambin (2.18%). These results have shown that the plant has a significant biological effect, which can be used as an antimicrobial drug against bacteria and fungi.

Keywords: Bacteria, Fungi, GC-MS, Methanol extract, Plant, Rhizomes.