Chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the rhizome essential oil of Cyperus articulatus L. grown in Karnataka, India

Abstract

Cyperus articulatus L. is widely distributed in various geographical regions of the world, and it has been used as a folk medicine for treating haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, and other diseases. The present study aimed to analyze the chemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of essential oil (EO) extracted from C. articulatus grown in the Karnataka region to explore its potential pharmaceutical usage. The EO from the rhizomes of C. articulatus was extracted by hydro-distillation and was tested for its antimicrobial activities against selected bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica serovar Abony, and Escherichia coli) and fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger). The EO yield was 1.24 g/100 g of dried rhizome powder. The EO recorded a significant inhibition against S. aureus and A. flavus. The GC-MS analysis of EO showed the predominance of important metabolites such as mustakone (20.2%), longifolenaldehyde (14.9%), cedroxyde (8.7%), α-copaene (4.7%), cyperene (2%), cyperotundone (2.6%), khusinol (2.3%), and corymbolone (1.1%) along with several other monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. The study revealed the EO of C. articulatus as a promising source of antibacterial and antifungal metabolites which may lead to its application in managing bacterial and fungal infections and storage mould.