PHYTOCHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF CERTAIN CYPERUS SPECIES GROWING IN EGYPT

Abstract

Family Cyperaceae (Sedge family) includes grass like plants which grow mostly in marshy places. It comprises abol!t 4000 species within 90 genera 1• . There are twenty one species of Cyperus in Egypt6 .

Many Cyperus species are used as food or medicines. The tubers of C. esculentus are edible2 and used as spermatogenic, aphrodisiac, galactogogue, emolliene, digestive, tonic, diuretic and promotes menstruation8. Cyperus rotundus L. (Nut grass; Nut sedge, Magessa, Zible El-Meize, Sed El-Homar)6•7 was well known to the ancient and grows in Egypt during the stone age in moist soils and the tuber was used by the ancient Egyptians in embalming and in perfumes9• The tubers of C. rotundus L. resemble small nuts and have camphoraceous odour and taste, which probably account for their use in upper Egypt as an aromatic and aphrodisiac under the local name "Gozetteeb Masri" (Egyptian nutmegl Ibn El-Bitar stated that the tuber is carminative, tonic and increases body weight9• Dawood El-Antaki recorded that the tubers are used as anthelmentic and emrnenagogue9• In Africa, the tubers were widely used as diaphoretic, astringent, demulcent, liver remedy, antidysentric, antimalarial for treatment of headache and uterine heamorrhage10• The plant was also used for treatment of cough and psychosomatic diseases 11•

In Asia, the fresh tubers were used in heart diseases and as insect

repellent 10

In addition, the tubers were used in India for the treatment of

leprosy, fever, blood diseases, pruritis, ophthalmia, ulcers, sores and as antidote for treatment of either snake bite or scorpion sting4 • They were also used as analgesic, in treatment of chest pain, indigestion and flu 12 In Egypt it is named "El-Se·d" and used by the public as carminative, stimulant, diuretic, in treatment of colic and to remove renal calcul