Phenolic Profile and Biological Activities of Cyperus longus

Abstract This study investigated the phenolic composition and biological activities of the ethanolic extract of Cyperus longus. Plant samples were extracted with ethanol using the Soxhlet method, and the antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antiproliferative activities of the extract were evaluated using complementary in vitro assays. Antioxidant analyses showed that the extract exhibited notable total antioxidant capacity, free radical scavenging activity, and reducing power. The extract also showed inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes. In addition, antiproliferative activity results demonstrated that the extract suppressed cell proliferation in A549, MCF-7, and DU-145 cancer cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents indicated that the extract had a rich phytochemical profile. LC-MS/MS analyses identified kaempferol, caffeic acid, quercetin, vanillic acid, and gallic acid as the major phenolic compounds. Overall, these findings suggest that C. longus is a promising natural source of bioactive compounds that may contribute to antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antiproliferative activities.