title: Cyperus rotundus L.: Traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae) is a medicinal herb traditionally used to treat various clinical conditions at home such as diarrhea, diabetes, pyresis, inflammation, malaria, and stomach and bowel disorders. Currently, it is one of the most widespread, problematic, and economically damaging agronomic weeds, growing wildly in various tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The present paper summarizes the available information that will aid in future medicine preparation by identifying active ingredients and their mode of action for a specific therapeutic activity using the latest technologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review article is based on the information available on the phytochemical, toxicological, and pharmacological studies on and traditional uses of C. rotundus. The present paper covers the literature available particularly from 2000 to 2015 online (Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Web of Science) and in books on phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, and botany of this plant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phytochemical and pharmacological studies revealed the significance of C. rotundus as an antiandrogenic, antibacterial, anticancerous, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, antigenotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antilipidemic, antimalarial, antimutagenic, antiobesity, antioxidant, anti-uropathogenic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and nootropic agent. This is the most investigated plant worldwide due to the higher concentration of active ingredients in the form of essential oils, phenolic acids, ascorbic acids, and flavonoids in the tuber and rhizomes. Unfortunately, this significant plant species has not been assessed under improved cultivation conditions with the aim of conservation in natural habitats and high quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reports can be found on the ehtnobotanical use of C. rotundus in atherosclerosis, aging, apoptosis, cancer, cystitis, epilepsy, hirsutism, nociception, prostatitis, and genotoxicity disorders. The phytochemical and pharmacological activities of C. rotundus have supported its traditional as well as prospective uses as a valuable Ayurvedic plant. Previous researches focuses on the phytochemistry, biological properties and clinical application of rhizomes and tubers of C. rotundus. However, such studies on the other parts of this medicinally important plant are still quest to be investigate. Furthermore, future study should aim at confirming the clinical activities and safety of this plant before being used for the development of new therapeutic agent in human subjects.
authors: Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Baghdad-ul-Jadeeed Campus, Bahawalpur 63100, Punjab, Pakistan. Electronic address: arsalpirzada@gmail.com.
authors: Arslan Masood
authors: AM
authors: Pirzada
authors: Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors: Hafiz Haider
authors: HH
authors: Ali
authors: Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Baghdad-ul-Jadeeed Campus, Bahawalpur 63100, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Naeem
authors: Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Baghdad-ul-Jadeeed Campus, Bahawalpur 63100, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Latif
authors: Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60000, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors: Asad Hussain
authors: AH
authors: Bukhari
authors: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 36000, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors: Asif
authors: A
authors: Tanveer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029786:Cyperus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Chemical composition; Future directions; Phenolic acid; Purple nutsedge; Therapeutic values