Family Cyperaceae

Mutha
BOTO-BOTONES

Cyperus rotundus Linn.

NUT GRASS

Xiang tou cao

Scientific names

Common names

Cyperus rotundus Linn.

Cyperus hexastachys Rottb.
Cyperus odoratus Osbeck
Cyperus tuberosus Roxb.
Pycreus rotundus (L.) Hayek
Xiang fu zi (Chin.)

Balisanga (Ilk.)
Barsanga (Ilk.)
Boto-botones (Bik.)
Galonalpas (Pamp.)
Kusung (Pamp.)
Mala-apulid (Pamp.)
Mota (Pamp.)
Mutha (Tag.)
Omadiung (Pamp.)
Onoran (Pamp.)
Sur-sur (Pamp.)
Tarugug (Bik.)
Nut grass (Engl.)
Coco grass (Engl.)
Nutsedge (Engl.)
Xiang tou cao (Chin.)

Boto-botonesan or phonetic variations are shared by three plants of different species: (1) Mutha (Cyperus rotundus) Botobotones (2) Gatas-gatas (Euphorbia hirta) botobotonis, botbotonis, botonis (3) Botoncillo (Gomphrena globosa) botbotonis,
botones-botonesan.

Mutha is a common name shared by both Cyperus rotundus (botobotones) and Kyllinga monocephala
(anuang, borobotones). They have similar characteristics, and K. monocephala has been questioned on
its use as a substitute. Rhizomes have similar appearances, and as crude drugs are hard to differentiate.

Other vernacular names

CHINESE: Suo cao, Hsiang-fu.
FRENCH: Herbe--oignon, Souchet tubercules, Souchet rond.
GERMAN: Rundes Zypergras.
HAWAIIAN: Kili'o'opu, Pakopako

ITALIAN: Zigolo infestante.

JAPANESE: Hamasuge
NEPALESE: Mothe.
PORTUGUESE: Juna, Alho-Bravo, Capim-Alho, Capim-Dand, Tiririca, Tiririca-Vermelha.
SPANISH: Castauela, Coquito, Juncia.
COUNTRY: Ya haeo mu (Central Thailand), Ya khon mu.

Botany
Mutha is a slender, erect, glabrous, perennial grasslike plant, 10 to 40 centimeters high. Rhizomes or
underground stems are wiry, bearing black, hard, ovoid tubers which are about 1 centimeter in diameter.
Ground stems are usually solitary, distinctly 3-angled above. Leave 5 to 15 centimeters long,
sometimes , 3 millimeters wide or less, and narrowly linear. Umbel is simple or compound, 2 to 6
centimeters long, with 2 to 8 unequal primary rays. Spikes are dense or rather lax. Spikelets are 3 to 8,
10 to 25 millimeters long, brown, slender, with 10 to 25 florets in each spikelet, linear, and slightly
compressed. Rachilla of the spikelet distinctly winged. Glumes are 2.5 to 3 millimeters long, closely or
loosely imbricate. Glumes of the floret distichously arranged, the first 2 empty, the third one
bisexual. Fruit is an achene, obovoid or oblong, black or granulate, 3-angled, one-seeded, covered with
a scurfy bloom.

Distribution
- Found throughout the Philippines in open areas at low and medium altitudes.
- A common weed in gardens, lawns and wastelands.
- Pantropic in distribution.

Constituents
Norcyperone, a novel norsesquiterpene isolated from CR.
A study of the constituents of the essential oil of Cyperus rotundus yielded three new sesquiterpene
hydrocarbons and a ketone (cyperadione).
Rhizome yields an essential oil.
Tubers yield fat, sugar, gum, carbohydrates, albuminous matter,, starch, fiber, ash, and traces of
alkaloid.
Constituents include 1,8-cineole, 4alpha,5alpha-oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-alpha-ol, Alkaloids, Alphacyperone, Alpha-rotunol, Beta-cyperone, Beta-pinene, Beta-rotunol, Beta-selinene, Calcium, Camphene,
Copaene, Cyperene, Cyperenone, Cyperol, Cyperolone Cyperotundone D-copadiene, D-epoxyguaiene,
D-fructose, D-glucose, Eo, Flavonoids, Gamma-cymene, Isocyperol, Isokobusone, Kobusone,
Limonene, Linoleic-acid, Linolenic-acid, Magnesium, Manganese, Mustakone, Myristic-acid, Oleanolicacid, Oleanolic-acid-3-o-neohesperidoside, Oleic-acid, P-cymol, Patchoulenone, Pectin, Polyphenols,
Rotundene, Rotundenol, Rotundone, Selinatriene, Sitosterol, Stearic-acid, Sugeonol, Sugetriol.
Phytochemical screening yielded tannins, saponins, carbohydrates and alkaloids, with an absence of
protein and sterols.

Properties
Fragrant, slightly bitter tasting rhizome.
Fragrance resembles lemon and cardamom.
Considered analgesic, alternative, astringent, antispasmodic, antibacterial, carminative, contraceptive,
demulcent, emmenagogue, emollient, febrifuge, immunostimulant, laxative, stimulative, tonic, vermifuge.

Part utilized
Rhizome.
Harvest from December to January.
Wash and sun-dry or heat-dry in a clean frying pan.
Scrape off the fibrous roots.

Uses
Folkloric
In the Philippines, used for dysentery.
For indigestion and constipation, 2 to 6 gms of dried material in a standard cup of water, boil to
concentration and drink.
For skin diseases, wash the diseased portion with a warm decoction.
For chest pains caused by deterred blood flow of blood and energy circulation: boil to decoction 4 to 9
gms of dried drug preparation together with 4 gms of Citrus (dalanghita, kahel, suha, kalamansi, etc.)
and drink.
Neurogenic gastralgia, abdominal distention, heaviness at the chest, acidic vomiting: 3 to 9 gms dried
material in decoction.
Irregular menstruation, painful menstruation: 3 to 9 gms dried material in decoction.
Sprains and bruises, furuncle infections: Use pounded fresh material as poultice or cook the pulverized
drug material in vinegar and apply as hot poultice.
- In various oriental traditional systems, rhizomes used for stomach and bowel disorders.
In Ayurveda, used for leprosy, fever, dysentery, itching, and as anthelmintic.
In India, used for wound healing. Roots used medicinally as a diaphoretic, astringent, stimulant, tonic,
diuretic and demulcent. Also used as vermifuge and emmenagogue.
In China, tubers used as tonic, stimulant, and stomachic.

 Fresh tubers applied to breast as paste or warm plaster as a galactagogue.

Dried tubers used for spreading ulcers.
In Indo-China, used for women in childbirth and to infants for indigestion.
In Cambodia, tubers used for liver complaints with icterus, for malaria, and headaches.
In Java, used for urinary problems.
In Unani, used for ulcers and sores, fevers, dyspepsia.
Others
Elsewhere, leaves used in the weaving of baskets and hats.
In Asia, tubers are used as perfume for clothing and as insect repellant.

Studies
Antidiabetic / Antioxidant: Antidiabetic activity of hydro-ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundus in
alloxan induced diabetes in rats: Extract study of CR significantly lowered the blood glucose levels and
showed antioxidant activity and radical scavenging in vitro.
Cytoprotective: Cytoprotective effects of Cyperus rotundus against ethanol induced gastric ulceration
in rats: Study suggests cytoprotective action is due to inhibition of gastric motility and endogenous
prostaglandins.
Wound healing: Extract showed effects in wound healing parameters: contracting ability, wound
closure time and tensile strength.
Stress-Reducing Effects: Physiological effects of herbal mixture with Cyperus rotundus L. on blood
pressure, norepinephrine, cortisol and psychological variables in healthy medical students under
examination: Herbal mixture that included CR seems to help reduce stress-related physiological and
psychological symptoms.
Anti-Hypertensive: Aqueous extract of C rotundus showed a hypotensive effect in rats probably acting
both centrally and peripherally altering the peripheral resistance and cardiac mechanics. Phytochemical
screening yielded tannins, saponins, carbohydrates and the absence of alkaloids, proteins and sterols.
Antimicrobial Activity: Study showed antimicrobial activity against K pneumonia, A niger and S
aureus.
Mosquito Repellent: C rotundus extract was screened for repellent activity against mosquito vector
Anopheles culicifacies, A stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus. Study showed the tuber extracts to be more
effective for repellency of all the mosquito vectors even at low dose. The extract can be applied as an
effective personal protective measure against mosquito bites.
Polyphenols / Antioxidant: Study on the rhizome extract of Cyperus rotundus exhibited
concentration-dependent scavenging effect on superoxide anion radicals, OH radicals, NO radicals,
H2O2, metal chelating and reducing power. Results suggest CR rhizome extract can be a potential
source of natural antioxidant.
Anti-Obesity Effect: Study of C rotundus tubers hexane extract for 60 days induced a significant
reduction in weight gain without affecting food consumption or inducing toxicity. In vitro, the extract was
able to stimulate lipolysis. The effect in weight gain may be partially mediated through activation of 3AR. Results suggest CR tuber extract has a potential as a herbal supplement for controlling body weight.
Anti-Candida Activity: Study of essential oils and ethanolic extracts of leaves and/or roots of 35
medicinal plants in Brazil were screened for anti-candidal activity. The essential oils of 13 plants,
including Cyperus rotundus, showed anti-Candida activity.
Anti-Inflammatory: Study showed the methanol extract of rhizomes of CR showed inhibition of NO
production in a dose-dependent manner from the suppression of iNOS protein, as well as iNOS mRNA
expression. Results suggest a potential for the methanol extract to be developed as an anti-inflammatory
agent for diseases mediated by overproduction of NO and O2-.
Gastroprotective: Study results indicate that CR extracts have gastroprotective effect against acute
mucosal lesions induced by ischemia/reperfusion.
Antimutagenicity: Study shows the oil of CR does not seem genotoxic. The oil exhibited effects

against both direct and indirect mutagens.

Infectious Diarrhea: Study evaluated the antidiarrheal activity of C. rotundus tubers decoction. The
decoction showed antigiardial activity, reduced bacterial adherence to and invasion of HEp-2 cells.
However, the decoction does not have marked antibacterial activity and its antidiarrheal action was
attributed to mechanisms other than direct killing of pathogen.
Antimicrobial / Rhizomes: Various rhizomes extracts were evaluated against six important pathogenic
microbes (S. epidermis, B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, A. niger, and C. albicans). An ethanolic extract
showed the highest antibacterial activity . All extracts were ineffective against fungal strains tested.
Antiplatelet Effects / Nootkatone: Study of an EtOH extract showed significant and concentrationdependent inhibitory effects on collagen-, thrombin-, and/or AA-induced platelet aggregation. Of the eight
components, (+)-nootkatone had the most potent inhibitory effect .
Anticonvulsant: Study showed pretreatment of mice with ethanolic extract of C. rotundus provided
significant protection against strychnine and leptazol-induced convulsions in mice. Effect was attributed
possibly to flavonoids.
Analgesic / Antimicrobial / Cytotoxic: Study of crude extract showed analgesic effect by the tail-flick
method, antimicrobial activity, and non-toxicity at
different concentrations in the brine shrimp bioassay.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Extracts, oil and tinctures in the cybermarket.
Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)Antidiabetic activity of hydro-ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundus in alloxan induced diabetes in
rats / ScienceDirect
(2)Cytoprotective effects of Cyperus rotundus against ethanol induced gastric ulceration in rats / Zhu
M et al / PTR. Phytotherapy research 1997, vol. 11, no5, pp. 392-394
(3)Wound healing activity of cyperus rotundus linn / Puratchikody A et al / Indian Journ of
Pharmaceutical Sciences. Jan 1, 2006(4)
Effects of herbal mixture with Cyperus rotundus L. on blood pressure, norepinephrine, cortisol and
psychological variables in healthy medical students under examination
(5) Composition of eleven herbals for treating cancer
(6)Chemical study of the essential oil of Cyperus rotundus / Mesmin Mekem Sonwa and Wilfried A
Konig /Phytochemistry Volume 58, Issue 5, November 2001, Pages 799-810 / doi:10.1016/S00319422(01)00301-6
(7)PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE (CYPERUS ROTUNDUS) USED
IN PAKISTAN / Bin Rehman / PhD Thesis / Asif (2008) /
(8)Evaluation of Hexane Extract of Tuber of Root of Cyperus rotundus Linn (Cyperaceae) for
Repellency against Mosquito Vectors / S P Singh et al / Journal of Parasitology Research Volume
2009 (2009) / doi:10.1155/2009/908085
(9)In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Total Polyphenolic Content of Cyperus rotundus Rhizomes / K R
Nagulendran et al / E-Journal of Chemistry Vol. 4, No.3, pp. 440-449, July 2007
(10)Administration of Cyperus rotundus tubers extract prevents weight gain in obese Zucker rats /
Bernard Lemaure et al / Phytotherapy Research Volume 21 Issue 8, Pages 724 - 730 / DOI
10.1002/ptr.2147
(11)TIRIRICA (Cyperus rotundus) / Tropical Plant Database / Raintree Nutrition

(12)Anti-Candida activity of Brazilian medicinal plants / Marta Cristina Teixeira Duarte, Glyn Mara
Figueria et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 97, Issue 2, 28 February 2005, Pages 305-311 /
doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.11.016 |
(13)Inhibitory effects of methanol extract of Cyperus rotundus rhizomes on nitric oxide and
superoxide productions by murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 cells / Won-Gil Seo, Hyun-Ock
Pae et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 76, Issue 1, June 2001, Pages 59-64 /
doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(01)00221-5 |
(14)Gastroprotective Effect Of Cyperus rotundus Extract against Gastric Mucosal Injury Induced by
Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats / Muhammet E Guldur, A Ozgonul et al / J. Pharmacol., 6: 104-110,
2010
(15)Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Antimutagenic Activities of Essential Oil from (Tunisian)
Cyperus rotundus / Kilani, Soumaya; Abdelwahed Afef et al / Technology Publications
(16)Cyperus rotundus L. / Chinese names / Catalogue of Life, China
(17)Sorting Cyperus names / Maintained by: Michel H. Porcher, / MULTILINGUAL MULTISCRIPT
PLANT NAME DATABASE / A Work in Progress. School of Agriculture and Food Systems. Faculty of
Land & Food Resources. The University of Melbourne. Australia / Copyright 1997 - 2000 The
University of Melbourne.
(18)Cyperus rotundus (Chaguan Humatag) / Common names / Zipcodezoo
(19)Studies on the activity of Cyperus rotundus Linn. tubers against infectious diarrhea / Poonam G.
Daswani, S. Brijesh, Pundarikakshudu Tetali, and Tannaz J. Birdi / Indian J Pharmacol. 2011 MayJun; 43(3): 340344 /
doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.81502
(20)Antimicrobial investigations on rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus Linn. / Surendra Kumar Sharma*
and Ajay Pal Singh / Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2011, 3(3):427-431
(21)Antiplatelet effects of Cyperus rotundus and its component (+)-nootkatone / Eun Ji Seo, DongUng Lee, Jong Hwan Kwak, Sun-Mee Lee, Yeong Shik Kim, Yi-Sook Jung / Journal of
Ethnopharmacology 135 (2011) 4854
(22)Phyto-pharmacotherapeutics of Cyperus rotundus Linn. (Motha): An overview / N Singh, B R
Pandey, P Verma, M Bhalla and M Gilca / Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources, Vol 3(4),
December 2012, pp 467-476.
(23)ANALGESIC, ANTIMICROBIAL AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF CYPERUS ROTUNDUS
ETHANOL EXTRACT / MANSOOR AHMAD, MAHAYROOKH, MEHJABEEN, ASIF BIN REHMAN
AND NOOR JAHAN Pakistan Journal of Pharmacology Vol.29, No.2, July 2012, pp.7-13