Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Jointed Flat Sedge (Cyperus articulatus L.)

Cyperus articulatus (family: Cyperaceae) grows in aquatic or marshy habitats in tropical and temperate regions. In traditional medicine, the rhizome of Cyperus articulatus has been effective in treating malaria, headache, migraines, fever, stomachache, epilepsy, and dysentery. The rhizome has been studied to possess diverse secondary metabolites including polyphenols, flavonoids, monoterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids. The matured rhizome extracts have been studied to have high antioxidative, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anticholinesterase activities. The rhizome essential oil possesses antimicrobial, anti-Onchocerca, antiplasmodial, antiproliferative, anticonvulsant, and antimalaria properties. Different works of literature have validated the rhizome as a source of antioxidants, natural food preservatives, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial agents and explored its application in food and pharmaceuticals. This chapter presents the systematic phytochemical and pharmacological studies carried out for Cyperus articulatus along with the metabolite profiling.