From Medicinal Plants to Pharmaceuticals: Correlating Phenolic Compounds With Antioxidant Activity in Cyperus Rotundus L

Phenolic compounds are among the most important plant secondary metabolites responsible for antioxidant activity. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity of rhizome extracts of Cyperus rotundus L. Total phenolic content was measured using Folin reagent, and flavonoid content was measured using the aluminum chloride method. Antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging. HPLC analysis was performed to detect flavonoids. The study revealed a strong correlation between phenolic concentration and antioxidant capacity. The phenolic concentration was 62.8 mg of standard gallic acid. The extract exhibited an antioxidant capacity of EC50 at 0.014µg/ml. The study showed a linear correlation with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.69, indicating that 69% of the antioxidant capacity is attributed to the phenolic compounds of this plant. In addition, HPLC chromatographic analysis confirmed the presence of the following flavonoids in the plant extract: Rosmarinic, Rutin, Hesperidin Qucetrin, Naringin, Kampferol and Apegnine. From this study, we conclude that this plant is an important source of antioxidants, and further research is needed to investigate its biological activitiey.