ArticlePDF Available

Ethno-medicinal uses and pharmacological activities of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Authors:

Figures

No caption available
… 
Content may be subject to copyright.
~ 42 ~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2014; 2(6): 42-46
ISSN 2320-3862
JMPS 2014; 2(6): 42-46
© 2014 JMPS
Received: 24-10-2014
Accepted: 09-11-2014
Subzar Ahmad Sheikh
Department of Botany, Govt.
Degree College (Boys) Anantnag,
Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Correspondence:
Subzar Ahmad Sheikh
Department of Botany, Govt.
Degree College (Boys) Anantnag,
Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Ethno-medicinal uses and pharmacological
activities of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
Subzar Ahmad Sheikh
Abstract
Nelumbo nucifera is grown in many parts of the globe including India for its medicinal and nutritional
value. In Kashmir, the plant grows naturally in the lakes and its stem is being extensively used in many
famous Kashmiri cuisines. In addition, its fruits and seeds are also consumed, but to a lesser extent.
Many studies have established a wide range of the pharmacological activities of this plant. The current
review highlights the importance of Nelumbo nucifera in traditional medicines and its pharmacological
activities.
Keywords: Nelumbo nucifera, Lotus stem, Traditional medicine, Pharmacological activities.
1. Introduction
Nelumbo nucifera, (2n = 16) commonly known as lotus or sacred lotus is an aquatic perennial
plant belonging to family Nelumbonaceae. The plant grows up to a height of about 1.5meters
and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters. Its roots remain fixed within the muddy bottom of
the water bodies and the leaves as large as 60 cm in diameter float over the surface of water or
are held above it. The flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter and are found on stems rising
above the leaves. Lotus is propagated by the division of rhizomes and by seeds. The seeds are
about 1 cm in diameter and are located in the woody receptacle that looks like a showerhead
[1].The lotus plant grows by extending a creeping rhizome through anaerobic sediments at the
bottom of the water body. The rhizome bears nodes and each of which produces a leaf. The
petioles and the rhizome bear gas canals which channel air from the leaves throughout the
petioles and rhizomes. The petiole has two canal pairs and the rhizome has three canal pairs.
Air from a leaf flows to a rhizome through one of two petiolar canal pairs and flows in the
atmosphere through the second petiolar canal pair [2]. The plant has some unique features like;
the ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers within a narrow range [3], seeds with long
viability periods [4] and in addition its leaves show the lotus effect, the self-cleaning property.
Lotus has been used as a food for about 7,000 years in Asia, and it is cultivated for its edible
rhizomes/stems, seeds and leaves. Various lotus plant parts like buds, flowers, anthers,
stamens, fruits, leaves, stalks, rhizomes and roots have been used as herbal medicines for
treatment of many diseases including cancer, depression, diarrhea, heart problems,
hypertension and insomnia [5, 6]. Lotus produces a number of important secondary metabolites,
like alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, triterpenoids, glycosides and polyphenols [7]. The genus
Nelumbo is represented by only two species, Nelumbo nucifera and Nelumbo lutea. Nelumbo
nucifera is widely distributed in South-East Asia. In India, it occurs from Kashmir in north to
Kanyakumari in south, showing huge phenotypic diversity with different shapes, sizes and
shades of pink and white flowers having 16-160 petals [8] and is the national flower of the
country. Nelumbo lutea commonly known as American lotus is distributed in North and South
America [9]. The natural habitat for lotus has been destroyed in certain areas and the plant
populations have dramatically decreased [10]. Lotus is listed as endangered and threatened in
many parts of America [1]. In many religions, lotus is considered to be sacred. It is considered
as the symbol of purity, divine beauty, resurrection and enlightenment.
~ 43 ~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
2. Taxonomy Position
Kingdom
Plantae
(unranked)
Angiosperms
Order
Proteales
Nelumbonaceae
Genus
Nelumbo
Species
Nelumbo nucifera
Gaertn
.
3. Nutritional Use
Parts of the lotus plant are consumed in many parts of the
world for their nutritional and medicinal importance. Lotus
rhizome being rich in starch, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber
(Table 1), is widely consumed by the Asian people [11]. Many
forms and products of the lotus rhizome, fresh, salted, lotus
rhizome starch, drinks, teas etc. are very popular [12, 13]. In
China and Japan, raw or roasted lotus seeds and rhizome are
extensively consumed as food, besides seeds are also used as
an ingredient in a large number of traditional pastries and
desserts [14].
Table 1: Nutritional value
Nutritional value per 100
g, Lotus root, cooked, no salt
Constituent
Quantity
Constituent
Quantity
Constituent
Quantity
Ener
gy
278
kJ (66
kcal)
Thiamine
(B1)
0.127 mg
Calcium
26 mg
Carbohydrates
16.02 g
Riboflavin
(B2)
0.01 mg
Iron
0.9 mg
Sugars
0.5.2 g
Niacin
(B3)
0.3 mg
Magnesium
22 mg
Dietary fiber
3.1 g
Pantothenic acid
(B5)
0.302 mg
Manganese
0.22 mg
Fat
0.07 g
Vitamin
B6
0.218 mg
Phosphorus
78 mg
Protein
1.58 g
Folate
(B9)
8 μg
Potassium
363 mg
Water
81.42 g
Choline
25.4 mg
Sodium
45 mg
-
-
Vitamin C
27.4 mg
Zinc
0.33 mg
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
In India also, the lotus stem is eaten in many areas. Lotus stem
called Nadru in Kashmir is deeply related to the culture and
economy. Lotus grows naturally in two main lakes i.e Dal lake
and Wullar lake, of the Kashmir valley, from where it is
harvested and supplied to the whole valley. Nadru based
cuisines are the integral part of every Kashmiri feast including
those made at religious, social and cultural occasions. In
Kashmir lotus is used in the form of lotus stem (Nadru) and
yoghurt curry, lotus stem kabab, lotus stem-fish, lotus
stem rogan josh, lotus stem pickles, lotus stem-Palakh etc.
Besides, some popular snacks are also made from the lotus
stem. Many of the Kashmiri Nadru based cuisines are famous
throughout India and are one of the tourist attractions to the
Jammu and Kashmir state. Nadru (lotus stem), contributes
significantly to the economy and is the source of the livelihood
to thousands of people directly or indirectly in Kashmir.
4. Traditional Medicine and Pharmacological Activities
Lotus is used in traditional medicine by people for its
tremendous health benefits in many parts of the world. It is
used to treat sunstroke, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids,
dizziness, vomiting of blood, uterine bleeding disorders,
promoting conception, improving the skin condition,
controlling burning sensation, against infections, cough,
hypertension, fever, urinary problems, hematemesis, epistaxis,
hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia etc [15, 16].
Many pharmacological studies on lotus have proven its
antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, hypoglycemic,
immunomodulatory, psychopharmacological, antioxidant,
aphrodisiac, lipolytic, antiviral, anticancer and
hepatoprotective activities [17].
Table 2: Summary of Ethno-Medicinal Uses and Pharmacological Activities of Nelumbo Nucifera.
S.
No
Part Used
Ethno
-
medicinal use /Pharmacological activity
Reference
1
Lea
ves
Diarrhea
[18,19]
2
High fever
[18,19]
3
Hemorrhoids
[18,19]
4
Leprosy
[18,19]
5
Lipolytic
[20]
6
Anti
-
obesity
[21]
7
Cardiovascular activity
[22]
8
Hypocholesterolaemic
[23]
9
Leaf extracts
Analg
esic activity
[24]
10
Leaf extract
Anthelmintic activities
[25]
11
Leaf extract
Antiobesity and hypolipidemic
[26]
12
Leaves and Stem
Haematopoietic
[27]
13
Leaf, Flower, Seed
Cosmetic agent
[28]
14 Lotus liquor from leaves & blossoms
Antioxidant acti
vities, Reducing oxidative
stress and the risk of chronic diseases [19]
15
Rhizome
Diuretic activity
[29]
16
Rhizome
Psychopharmacological
[30]
17
Rhizome extract
Anti
-
diabetic
[31]
18
Rhizome extract
Anti
-
obesity
[21]
19
Flowers Rhizome
Hypoglycemic
[32, 33]
~ 44 ~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
20
Flower, Rhizome
Antipyretic activity
[34, 35]
21
Rhizome &Flower
Antidiabetic
[36]
22
Leaves, Flower, Rhizome
Antioxidant
[37
-
39]
23
Flower
Antimicrobial activity
[40]
24 Flower
Vasodilating effects , antihypertensive
and antiarrhythmic abilities [19]
25
Flower beverages
Hypertension, cancer, weakness, body heat balance
[41]
26
Flower
Antioxidant
[42]
27
Flower
Anti
-
bacterial and antioxidant
[43]
28
Flowers
antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacity
[44]
29 Stamens
Consolidati
on of kidney function,
male sexual disorders and female leucorrhea [18]
30
Stamen
Aphrodisiac
[45]
31
Pounded petals
For syphilis
[46]
32
Flower stalk
Uterine Bleeding
[46]
33
Flower receptacles
To stop bleeding and to eliminate stagnated blood
[19]
34
Seed
Anti
-
proliferative
[47]
35
Seed
Anti
-
fibrosis
[48]
36
Seeds
Antidepressant, Anti
-
inflammation
[49]
37
Seed
Cardiovascular symptoms
[50]
38
Ripe seeds
Astringent action , Chronic diarrhea
[18]
39
Ripe seeds
Spleen tonic
[51]
40
Seed powder
Cou
gh
[52]
41
Seed extracts
Hepatoprotective and free radical scavenging
[21]
42
Seed extract
Anti
-
obesity and
hypolipidemic effects
[53]
43 Plumule from ripe seed
Nervous disorders, insomnia,
high fevers with restlessness and hypertension [18]
44
Seed,
Rhizome
Anti
-
inflammatory
[54 , 55]
45
Seed, Rhizome
Immunomodulatory
[56]
46
Seed, Leaves
Hepatoprotective
[57]
47
Seed, Leaves
Antiviral
[58, 59]
48
Plant extract
Anti Hyperlipidemic Activity
[60]
5. Leaves
In traditional medicine, lotus leaves are used against diarrhea,
high fever, hemorrhoids, leprosy [18, 19] weakness, skin
inflammation, and body heat imbalance [15], hematemesis,
epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia [16]. Lotus
leaves have been reported to have lipolytic, anti-obesity,
cardiovascular and hypocholesterolaemic activity [20-23]. The
leaf extract has been reported to have analgesic, anthelmintic,
antiobesity and hypolipidemic activity [24-26]. Lotus liquor
made of blossoms and leaves has been reported to possess
antioxidant activities and is effective for reducing oxidative
stress [19].
6. Rhizome
Lotus rhizome and its extracts have shown diuretic,
psychopharmacological, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity,
hypoglycemic, antipyretic and antioxidant activities [29-36]. The
antioxidant property of rhizome knot extracts has been
reported to be higher than those from the whole rhizome [12].
7. Flowers
Lotus flowers, floral parts or their extracts have also been used
against many diseases like hypertension, cancer, weakness,
body heat imbalance, consolidation of kidney function, male
sexual disorders, syphilis, stopping bleeding and to eliminate
the stagnated blood. Flowers, with their parts or extracts have
shown to possess antimicrobial activities [40], vasodilating
effects, antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic abilities [19],
aphrodisiac activity [45], antioxidant and free radical
scavenging capacity [43, 44].
8. Seeds
In traditional medicine Lotus seeds are used as spleen tonic [51]
and seed powder is used against cough [52]. Plumule from the
ripe seed is used for the treatment of many diseases, including
nervous disorders, insomnia, high fevers with restlessness and
hypertension [18]. The seeds or their extracts have been
reported to possess anti-proliferative [47], anti-fibrosis [48,
antidepressant, anti-inflammation [49], astringent [18],
hepatoprotective and free radical scavenging [21], anti-obesity
and hypolipidemic effects [53], anti-inflammatory [54, 55]
immunomodulatory [56] and antiviral activities [58, 59].
9. Conclusion and Future Prospectus
Ethno-medicinal knowledge has already helped the man to
combat many diseases. Nelumbo nucifera has also been
extensively used for nutritional and traditional medicinal
purpose by people in many parts of the world. Further, the
pharmacological studies have shown tremendous potential of
the plant against a wide range of diseases and infections. So
the need of the hour is to further evaluate the medicinal
importance of Nelumbo nucifera, in view of its large scale use
in traditional medicine and recently identified pharmacological
activities and also to develop the protocols for efficient
extraction and validation of the active principles for their use
to combat different human disease conditions. Additionally,
there is the need to conserve this treasure as the habitat of this
plant is being polluted and threatened due to different
anthropogenic activities.
10. Acknowledgement
The author is highly thankful to Principal, Govt. Degree
College (Boys) Anantnag, for providing the support and
~ 45 ~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
facility during this work.
11. References
1. Sayre J. Propagation protocol for American Lotus
(Nelumbo lutea Willd.) Native plants Journal 2004, 1:14-
17.
2. Matthews PGD, Seymour RS. Anatomy of the gas canal
system of Nelumbo nucifera. Environmental Biology,
Aquatic Botany 01/2006.
3. Yoon CK. Published: Heat of Lotus Attracts Insects and
Scientists. New York Times, 1996.
4. Shen-Miller S, Mudgett MB, William SJ, Clarke S, Berger
R. Exceptional seed longevity and robust growth: Ancient
sacred lotus from China. American Journal of Botany
1995; 82(11):1367-1380.
5. Shen-Miller J, Schopf JW, Harbottle G, Cao RJ, Ouyang
S, Zhou KS et al. Long-living lotus: germination and soil
g-irradiation of centuries-old fruits, and cultivation,
growth, and phenotypic abnormalities of offspring.
American Journal of Botany 2002; 89:236-247.
6. Duke JA, Bogenschutz-Godwin MJ, du Cellier J, Duke
AK. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2002.
7. Mukherjee PK, Mukherjee D, Maji AK, Rai S, Heinrich
M. The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)-phytochemical
and therapeutic profile. J Pharm Pharmacol 2009;
61(4):407-422.
8. Sharma SC, Goel AK. Philosophy and Science of the
Indian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).International Sociey of
Environmenal Botanists. Enviro News 2000; 6(1).
9. Qichao W, Xingyan Z. Lotus flower cultivars in China.
China Forestry Publishing House. Beijing China, 2005,
296.
10. Tilt K. Auburn University Horticulture Department. The
Auburn University Lotus Project, 2010.
11. Chiang PY, Luo YY. Effects of pressurized cooking on
the relationship between the chemical compositions and
texture changes of lotus root (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.).
Food Chem 2007; 105:480-484.
12. Hu M, Skibsted LH. Antioxidative capacity of rhizome
extract and rhizome knot extract of edible lotus (Nelumbo
nuficera). Food Chem 2007; 76:327-333.
13. Zhong G, Chen ZD, We YM. Physicochemical properties
of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and kudzu (Pueraria
hirsute Matsum.) starches. Int J Food Sci Technol 2007;
42:1449-1455.
14. Moro CF, Yonekura M, Kouzuma Y, Agrawal GK,
Rakwal R. Lotus – A Source of Food and Medicine:
Current Status and Future Perspectives in Context of the
Seed Proteomics. International Journal of Life Sciences
2013; 7(1):1-5.
15. Sridhar KR, Rajeev B. Lotus - A potential nutraceutical
source. Journal of Agricultural Technology 2007; 3:143-
155.
16. Ou M. Chinese-English Manual of Commonly-used in
Traditional Chinese Medicine. Joint Publishing Co Ltd
Hong Kong, 1989.
17. Mehta NR, Patel EP, Patani PV, Shah B. Nelumbo
nucifera (Lotus): A Review on Ethanobotany,
Phytochemistry and Pharmacology. Indian J Pharm Biol
Res 2013; 1(4):152-167
18. Nguyen Q. Lotus A new crop for Australian horticulture.
IHD: Access to Asia Newsletter 1999; (2):1-5.
http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/trade/asiaveg/nlaf-04c.htm
19. Ku-Lee H, Mun-Choi Y, Ouk-Noh D, Joo-Suh H.
Antioxidant effect of Korean traditional Lotus liquor
(Yunyupju). International Journal of Food Science &
Technology 2005; 40:709-787.
20. Ohkoshi E, Miyazaki H, Shindo K, Watanabe H, Yoshida
A, Yajima H. Constituents from the leaves of Nelumbo
nucifera stimulate lipolysis in the white adipose tissue of
mice. Planta Med 2007; 73:1255-1259.
21. Ono Y, Hattori E, Fukaya Y, Imai S, Ohizumi Y. Anti-
obesity effect of Nelumbo nucifera leaves extract in mice
and rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006; 106:238-
244.
22. Shoji N, Umeyama A, Saito N, Iuchi A, Takemoto T,
Kajiwara A et al. Asimilobine and liridine, serotonergic
receptor antagonists from Nelumbo nucifera. Nat Prod
1987; 50:773-774.
23. Onishi E, Yamada K, Yamada T, Kaji K, Inoue H,
Seyama Y et al. Comparative effects of crude drugs on
serum lipids. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1984, 32:646-
650.
24. Bera S, Bhattacharya S, Pandey JN, Biswas M. Thin layer
chromatographic profiling and evaluation of analgesic
activity of Nelumbo nucifera leaf extracts in Swiss mice.
Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education & Research
2011; 1(6):259-265. ISSN 2249-3379.
25. Lin RJ, Wu MH, Ma YH, Chung LY, Chen CY, Yen CM.
Anthelmintic Activities of Aporphine from Nelumbo
nucifera Gaertn. cv. Rosa-plena against Hymenolepis
nana Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:3624-3639.
26. Du H, You JS, Zhao X, Park JY, Kim SH, Chang KJ.
Antiobesity and hypolipidemic effects of lotus leaf hot
water extract with taurine supplementation in rats fed a
high fat diet. J Biomed Sci 2010; 17(Suppl 1):S42.
27. Patel KK, Toppo FA, Singour PK, Chaurasiya PK, Rajak
H, Pawar RS. Phytochemical and pharmacological
investigations on the aerial parts of Nelumbo nucifera
Gaertn. for hematopoietic activity. Indian journal of
natural products and resources 2012; 3(4):512-517.
28. Kim T, Kim Hj, Cho Sk, Kang Wy, Baek H, Jeon Hy et
al. Nelumbo nucifera extracts as whitening and anti-
wrinkle cosmetic agent. Korean J Chem Eng 2011;
28(1):424-427.
29. Mukherjee PK, Das J, Saha K, Pal M, Saha BP. Diuretic
activity of the rhizomes of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn
(Fam. Nymphaeaceae). Phytother Res 1996; 10:424-425.
30. Mukherjee PK, Saha K, Balasubramanian R, Pal M, Saha
BP. Studies on psychopharmacological effects of
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Rhizome extract J
Ethnopharmacol 1996; 54(2):63-67.
31. Mukherjee K, Saha K, Pal M, Saha B. Effect of Nelumbo
nucifera rhizome extract on blood sugar level in rats.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1997; 58:207-213.
32. Huralikuppi JC, Christopher AB, Stephen P. Antidiabetic
effect of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn): Part I Preliminary
studies in rabbits. Phytother Res 1991; 5:54-58.
33. Lee MW, Kim JS, Cho SM, Kim JH, Lee JS. Anti-
diabetic constituent from the nodes of lotus rhizome
(Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn). Nat Prod Sci 2001; 7:107–
109.
34. Mukherjee PK, Das J, Saha K, Giri SN, Pal M, Saha BP.
Antipyretic activity of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome extract.
Ind J Exp Biol 1996; 34(3):275-276.
35. Shinha S, Mukherjee PK, Mukherjee K, Pal M, Mandal
SC, Saha BP. Evaluations of antipyretic potential of
Nelumbo nucifera stalk extract. Phytother Res 2000;
~ 46 ~
Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
14:272-274.
36. Rakesh PD, Sekar S, Kumar KLS. A comparative study
on the antidiabetic effect of Nelumbo nucifera and
glimepiride in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.
International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences 2011;
2(2).
37. Wu MJ, Wang L, Weng CY, Yen JH. Antioxidant activity
of methanol extract of the lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera
Geartn.). Am J Chinese Med 2003; 31:687-698.
38. Jung HA, Kim JE, Chung HY, Choi JS. Antioxidant
principles of Nelumbo nucifera stamens. Arch Pharm Res
2003; 26:279-285.
39. Hyun SK, Jung YJ, Chung HY, Jung HA, Choi JS.
Isorhamnetin glycosides with free radical and ONOO
scavenging activities from the stamens of Nelumbo
nucifera. Arch Pharm Res 2006; 29:287-292.
40. Brindha B, Arthi D. Antimicrobial activity of white and
pink Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn flowers. Asian journal of
pharmaceutical research and health carw 2010; 2(2).
41. Saengkhae C, Arunnopparat W, Sungkhajorn P.
Antioxidant activity of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn On
oxidative stress-induced erythrocyte hemolysis in
Hypertensive and normotensive rats. J Physiol Sci 2008;
20:70-78.
42. Krishnamoorthy G, Chellappan DR, Joseph J, Ravindhran
D, Shabi MM, Uthrapathy S et al. Antioxidant activity
of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn) flowers in isolated perfused
rat kidney. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 2009;
19(1b).
43. Venkatesh B, Dorai A. Antibacterial and Antioxidant
potential of White and Pink Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn
Flowers. IACSIT Press Singapore 2011; 5:213-217.
44. Durairaj B, Dorai A. Free radical scavenging potential of
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn flowers (white and pink).
International Journal of Natural Sciences Research 2014;
2(8):133-146.
45. Vahitha Bi SM, Banumathi V, Anbu J, Anjana A, Kumar
MP. Aphrodisiac activity of venthamarai magarantha
chooranam (stamens of Nelumbo nucifera white variety)
on healthy wister albino rats. International journal of life
science & pharma research 2012; 2:44-50.
46. Naturia. Lotus 2006,
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/Lotus.htm
47. Yu J, Hu WS. Effects of neferine on platelet aggregation
in rabbits. Acta Pharm Sin 1997; 32:1-4.
48. Xiao JH, Zhang JH, Chen HL, Feng XL, Wang JL.
Inhibitory effect of isoliensinine on bleomycin induced
pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Planta Med 2005; 71:225-
230.
49. Bi Y, Yang G, Li H, Zhang G, Guo Z. Characterization of
the chemical composition of Lotus plumele oil. Journal of
Agricultural and food chemistry 2006, 6. Boca Raton:
CRC Press.
50. Kim J, Kang M, Cho C, Chung H, Kang C, Parvez S et
al. Effects of Nelumbinis semen on contractile dysfunction
in ischemic and reperfused rat heart. Arc Pharm Res 2006;
29:777-785.
51. Follett J, Douglas J. Lotus root: Production in Asia and
potential for New Zealand. Combined proceedings
International Plant Propagators Society 2003; 53:79-83.
52. Khare CP. Indian Herbal Remedies: Rational Western
Therapy, Ayurvedic, and Other Traditional Usage,
Botany, 1st edn. USA: Springer 2004, 326-327.
53. You JS, Lee YJ, Kim KS, Kim SH, Chang KJ. Anti-
obesity and hypolipidemic effects of Nelumbo nucifera
seed ethanol extract in human pre-adipocytes and rats fed
a high-fat diet. (wileyonlinelibrary.com) 2013.
54. Mukherjee PK, Saha K, Das J, Pal M, Saha BP. Studies on
the anti-inflammatory activity of rhizomes of Nelumbo
nucifera. Planta Medica 1997; 63:367-369.
55. Lin JY, Wu AR, Liu CJ, Lai YS. Suppressive effects of
lotus plumule (Nelumbo nucifera Geartn.)
supplementation on LPS-induced systemic inflammation
in a BALB/c mouse model. Journal of Food and Drug
Analysis 2006; 14(3):273-278.
56. Mukherjee D, Khatua TN, Venkatesh P, Saha BP,
Mukherjee PK. Immunomodulatory potential of rhizome
and seed extracts of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. J
Ethnopharmacol 2010; 128:490-494.
57. Huang B, Ban X, He J, Tong J, Tian J, Wang Y.
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of ethanolic
extracts of edible lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) leaves.
Food Chem 2010; 120(3):873-878.
58. Kashiwada Y, Aoshima A, Ikeshiro Y, Chen YP,
Furukawa H, Itoigawa M et al. Anti-HIV
benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and flavonoids from the
leaves of Nelumbo nucifera, and structure activity
correlations with related alkaloids. Bioorg Med Chem
2005; 13:443-448.
59. Kuo YC, Lin YL, Liu CP, Tsai WJ. Herpes simplex virus
type 1 propagation in HeLa cells interrupted by Nelumbo
nucifera. J Biomed Sci 2005; 12:1021-1034.
60. Subasini U, Thenmozhi S, Venkateswaran V, Pavani P,
Diwedi S, Rajamanickam GV. Phytochemical analysis
and anti hyperlipidemic activity of Nelumbo Nucifera in
male Wistar rats. International Journal of Pharmacy
Teaching & Practices 2014; 5(1):935-940.
... [13,14]. This species distributes mainly in Asian regions, e.g., Thailand, India, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Japan [13,14,[18][19][20]. Furthermore, sacred lotus is used as an ingredient for preparing various traditional medicines or herbal drugs [18][19][20][21][22][23]. ...
... [13,14]. This species distributes mainly in Asian regions, e.g., Thailand, India, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Japan [13,14,[18][19][20]. Furthermore, sacred lotus is used as an ingredient for preparing various traditional medicines or herbal drugs [18][19][20][21][22][23]. Nowadays, a large number of research teams have studied phytochemical characterization as well as the pharmacological activities of this medicinal species [7,8,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. ...
... This species distributes mainly in Asian regions, e.g., Thailand, India, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Japan [13,14,[18][19][20]. Furthermore, sacred lotus is used as an ingredient for preparing various traditional medicines or herbal drugs [18][19][20][21][22][23]. Nowadays, a large number of research teams have studied phytochemical characterization as well as the pharmacological activities of this medicinal species [7,8,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. The anti-aging effect of N. nucifera, in particular against degenerative diseases, has been recently ascribed to its flavonoid fraction [9,[28][29][30]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., an aquatic medicinal plant (Nelumbonaceae family), has a history of use in traditional medicine across various regions. Our previous study demonstrated the skin anti-aging potential of its stamen ethanolic extract by effectively inhibiting collagenase and tyrosinase enzymes. While the major constituents of this extract are well documented, there is a lack of research on the individual compounds’ abilities to inhibit skin aging enzymes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-aging potential of the primary flavonoids found in N. nucifera using both in silico and in vitro approaches. Our initial step involved molecular docking to identify compounds with the potential to inhibit collagenase, elastase, and tyrosinase. Among the seven flavonoids studied, kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (Kae-3-Rob) emerged as the most promising candidate, exhibiting the highest docking scores for three skin aging-related enzymes. Subsequent enzyme-based inhibition assays confirmed that Kae-3-Rob displayed robust inhibitory activity against collagenase (58.24 ± 8.27%), elastase (26.29 ± 7.16%), and tyrosinase (69.84 ± 6.07%). Furthermore, we conducted extensive 200-ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, revealing the stability of the complexes formed between Kae-3-Rob and each enzyme along the MD simulation time. MM/PBSA-based binding free energy calculations indicated the considerably stronger binding affinity of Kae-3-Rob for collagenase and tyrosinase compared to elastase, which was related to the greater percentage of hydrogen bond occupations. These computational findings were consistent with the relatively high inhibitory activity of Kae-3-Rob against collagenase and tyrosinase observed in our in vitro experiment. In conclusion, the results obtained from this comprehensive study suggest that Kae-3-Rob, a key flavonoid from N. nucifera, holds significant potential as a source of bioactive compounds for anti-aging cosmeceutical and other phytopharmaceutical application.
... Rhizomes are cooked in various forms as fried and boiled as soup with pork, steak, or chicken or other kinds of meats. They are also steamed with rice and soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar (Sheikh, 2014). Lotus rhizomes contain mild sweet flavour which makes it suitable to be absorbed in various foods (Vora and Srinivasan, 2016). ...
... Lotus starches are amylose rich (21.16 %), possess good clarity and gel strength (Geng et al., 2007) and hence could be used as an additive in food industry for imparting better texture and consistency and also as functional ingredients such as thickener, stabilizer and gelling agent. The carbohydrate content of rhizomes was 16.03%, similar to previous reports of 16.60 and 16.02% (Khattak and Simpson, 2009;Sheikh, 2014). Protein content of 2.60% was close to the reported levels of 2.41 and 2.70% (Mukherjee et al., 2009;Khattak and Simpson, 2009). ...
... Protein content of 1.70% reported by Paudel and Panth (2015) appears lower. Fat content of 0.10 % was similar to the previous reports of 0.11 and 0.07% (Mukherjee et al., 2009;Sheikh, 2014). ...
Article
Full-text available
Lotus rhizome is a huge biowaste from the commercial lotus flower cultivation and its disposal is a serious issue. Physico-chemical analyses of fresh lotus rhizomes were performed and alternative use of lotus rhizomes in commercial cookie making industry was experimented. Cookies were prepared by supplementing different proportions of lotus rhizome flour to wheat flour (10-100%) and their nutritional, sensory, antioxidant properties and glycaemic indices were studied. Composition analysis had shown that the lotus rhizomes are good sources of starch, carbohydrates, protein, fat, dietary fibre, vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Cookies prepared from 10% lotus rhizome flour and 90% wheat flour was most acceptable in sensory evaluation andricher in minerals, unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, phenols and antioxidant value. The glycaemic index and total fat content were lower in lotus rhizome flour incorporated cookies, pointing that the biowaste from lotus cultivation can be efficiently used in biscuit industry.
... Because lotus root contains a high concentration of polyphenolic compounds, it possesses good antioxidant activity [6]. Lotus stem is beneficial in relieving constipation, promote digestive health, It has cholesterol lowering property, low glycemic index, control high blood pressure, it has antioxidant property, support nervous system, anti-viral and anti-bacterial property, promote bone health and help in weight loss [7] The rhizomes, which are 60-140 cm long and 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, bear nodes, each of which produces a leaf [8]. The colour of the rhizome varies from yellowish white to yellowish brown in colour, smooth longitudinally striated with brown patches, nodes and internodes are present [9]. ...
Article
Lotus stem or kamal kakdi, is (most of the times wrongly called as lotus root) very popular vegetable in India and several other Asian countries including China and Japan. Pickles are one of the oldest and famous and easy method to preserve store any vegetables or fruits for long time use. The current experiment was carried out to prepare the lotus stem pickle value added with carrot and green chilli using different vinegar like apple vinegar, jamun vinegar, sugarcane vinegar with the objective to assess the physico-chemical and organoleptic properties of the pickle. The experiment was conducted in Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with nine treatments and three replications. Based on the statistical analysis, it was observed that treatment T8 (Lotus stem + Green chili + Carrot + Sugarcane vinegar) was found best in terms of physico-chemical properties viz. pH, acidity (%), total soluble solids (oBrix), vitamin C (mg/100g), total sugar (%). Based on the statistical analysis, it was observed that treatment T6 (Lotus stem + Green chili + Carrot + Apple vinegar) was found best in terms organoleptic properties viz. colour, taste, flavour, texture and overall acceptability. By promoting the production and consumption of lotus stem pickle, we contribute to minimizing agricultural losses, fostering awareness about this nutritious vegetable and enriching culinary experiences.
... The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is an aquatic perennial plant belonging to the Nelumbonaceae family. It holds a crucial role as one of the most significant industrial crops, carrying cultural and medicinal significance, particularly in traditional herbal medicine practices [1,2]. Extract from the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera contains an anti-aging agent that offers beneficial effects in reducing symptoms such as acne, loss of elasticity, wrinkles, enlarged pores, blemishes, fine lines, and other related concerns. ...
Article
Full-text available
Human matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), also known as Stromelysin-1, is involved in various cellular processes, including skin aging, making it an attractive drug target against skin aging. This study aims to apply different ML algorithms to develop a prediction model for the MMP3 inhibitor dataset (ChEMBL283) from the ChEMBL database. ML experiments were performed using the Python programming language. Seven machine learning algorithms, namely neural network, decision tree, Xgboost, CatBoost, random forest, LightGBM, and extra trees, were applied to classify molecules as active or inactive (coded 1 or 0) using AutoML. ML models underwent an evaluation process that included ROC plots, a confusion matrix, and a set of statistical measures. These evaluations demonstrated the exceptional predictive capability of the Extra Trees algorithm, achieving a remarkable accuracy rate of 85.8%. The most effective ML model identified 79 active MMP3 inhibitory phytochemicals in Nelumbo nucifera. Molecular docking confirmed the strong binding of seven phytochemicals to MMP3, suggesting their potential as inhibitors. Following Lipinski's rule, three compounds—liensinin, isoliensinin, and isovitex—showed promise in molecular dynamics studies (100 ns) and MM-PBSA analysis (last 30 ns). They exhibited the lowest binding free energies, namely − 112.684 kJ/mol, − 194.871 kJ/mol, and − 101.551 kJ/mol, respectively, compared to the HQQ-MMP3 complex (− 95.410 kJ/mol), suggesting their potential as candidates for MMP3 inhibition. The study highlights the effectiveness of ML and the relative accuracy of MD simulations in screening phytochemicals for dermatological research and provides innovative opportunities for designing MMP3 inhibitors in the future.
... Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), a perennial rhizomatous plant with a history in traditional therapies, has been utilized in human and veterinary medicine (Sheikh, 2014;Sharma et al., 2017;Mehta, Patani, & Shah, 2013;Bhat & Sridhar, 2007;Abdel Rahman et al., 2019;Kim & Shin, 2012;Mukherjee, et al., 2010). While its applications in aquaculture for nutrition and health are relatively new, there are limited reports on its use as an immunostimulant in fish (Munglue, 2014(Munglue, , 2015(Munglue, , 2016Sivagurunathan et al., 2012;Abdel Rehman et al., 2018). ...
Preprint
Full-text available
The present study evaluated the survival and immune response of Rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) fingerlings fed with Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract (NNLE) for 90-day time period. Two hundred and fifty fingerlings were randomly distributed into five treatment groups in triplicates. Each group was fed isonitrogenous and isoenergetic regimes containing 0% NNLE (control), 0.25% NNLE (T1), 0.75% NNLE (T2), 1.25% NNLE (T3), and 1.75% NNLE (T4) to satiation. NNLE was found to significantly (P < 0.05) reduce malate dehydrogenase and aspartate amino-transferase activity in the liver tissue. Alanine amino-transferase activity in the muscle tissue of NNLE fed groups was significantly higher than in the control. The liver and gill superoxide dismutase activity were significantly reduced in the NNLE fed groups compared to the control. Also, the catalase activity in the liver and gill got significantly lowered in the T4 group. NNLE fed groups showed elevated RBC, TLC, respiratory burst activity, lysozyme activity and phagocytic activity compared to control group. Also, mRNA expression of defensin and hepcidin genes showed significant upregulation in NNLE fed groups thereby highlighting its role in modulation of innate immune response. During pre-challenge phase, pro inflammatory cytokines were significantly (p<0.05) down-regulated compared to control. Whereas, post-challenge period, T4 (1.75% NNLE) caused substantial (p<0.05) up-regulation of IL-1 and TNF-α1 expression. Regulatory cytokines were slightly up-regulated during pre-challenge and down-regulated post-challenge periods. Treatment groups T3 and T4 showed significantly (p<0.05) higher survival rate after challenged with pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila . The study highlights that supplementation of Indian lotus leaf extract at the rate of 1.75% in diet enhances the disease resistance in rainbow trout.
... In traditional medicine, various parts of Nelumbo nucifera, such as the leaves, seeds, and rhizomes, are used for their medicinal properties (Sheikh, 2014). They are believed to have antiinflammatory (Lin JY et al. 2006), antioxidant (Wu MJ et al. 2003, antibacterial effects (Venkatesh et al. 2011) and various secondary metabolites (Mukherjee et al. 2009). ...
Article
Full-text available
The historic town of Charsadda, located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, holds significant archaeological importance, with evidence of ancient civilizations such as the Gandhara and Mauryan periods. Its diverse flora, thriving in the fertile lands and along the Kabul River banks, consists of crops like wheat, rice, sugarcane, and fruit orchards, contributing to biodiversity and supporting local livelihoods. The lotus plant, Nelumbo nucifera, native to the region, thrives with its unique adaptations, symbolizing purity and spiritual enlightenment in various religions. Beyond its cultural and spiritual significance, the lotus holds medicinal properties, with its leaves, seeds, and rhizomes utilized for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects. This plant's enduring influence is evident not only in its practical applications but also in its depiction in art, literature, and architecture across cultures. The study of the nutritional composition of the lotus rhizome reveals its moisture content (2.65%), ash (3.45%), crude fat (1.15%), crude protein (15.15%), crude fiber (3.70%), crude carbohydrates (13.23%), starch (8.7%), vitamin C (29.3 mg), calcium (40 mg), iron (0.9 mg), phosphorous (53 mg), and potassium levels (273 mg), offering insights into its potential health benefits. This study provides a condensed overview of Charsadda's historical significance, diverse flora, the cultural importance of the lotus plant, its medicinal and nutritional value, and its enduring impact on human creativity and well-being.
... It contains water (72-82 %), carbohydrates (16-18 %), protein (1.5-2.6 %), fat (0.07-0.1 %), and fiber (3.0-4.0 g). It is also a good source of vitamin C (27-38 mg/100 g), Ca (26-40 mg), Fe (0.9-1.07 mg/100 g), phosphorus (P, 58-78 mg/100 g), and K (450 -363 mg/100 g) [7,8]. Several bioactive compounds with health-benefiting properties including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and alkaloids are also present in lotus rhizomes [9]. ...
... Nelumbo nucifera (Thaaramai) is an aquatic plant species found in India, across wide geographic distributions spreading between Himalayas to Tamil Nadu [9]. It is used to treat sunstroke, diarrhoea, improve the skin condition, and urinary problems [10]. Flavonoids like kaempferol, trifolin, astragalin, kaempferol 3-O-gln, quercetin, isoquercetin, and rutin are the most important secondary metabolites of lotus [11]. ...
Preprint
Full-text available
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) pandemic brought on by the SARS-CoV2 outbreak (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has stimulated the exploration of various available chemical compounds that could be used to treat the infection. This has driven numerous researchers to investigate the antiviral potential of several bioactive compounds from medicinal plants due to their reduced adverse effects compared to chemicals. Some of the bioactive compounds used in folklore treatment strategies are reported as effective inhibitors against the proliferative and infective cycles of SARS-CoV2. The secondary metabolites from plants are generally used to treat various diseases due to their intact medicinal properties. The present study analyses the inhibitory potential of phytocompounds from medicinal plants like Sphaeranthus indicus, Lantana camara and Nelumbo nucifera against SARS-CoV2 by molecular docking. Ten druggable protein targets from SARS-CoV2 are docked against the phytocompounds from the selected medicinal plants. The phytocompounds Astragalin, Isoquercetin, and 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-6-c-glycosy flavone were found to have lower binding energy depicting their inhibitive potential compared with the reported inhibitors that are used in the treatment of SARS-CoV2 infection. To assess the compounds' potential as drugs, their ADMET characteristics were also examined. Sphaeranthus indicus, Lantana camara, Nelumbo nucifera six possible compounds were separately screened for ADME and toxicity characteristics, then the results were analyzed. Microsecond-level molecular dynamics simulations of both the ligands complexed with NSP15 revealed that the ligand induces allosteric effects on NSP15, which could lead to destabilization of NSP15 hexameric interface and loss of RNA binding.
... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic herbaceous perennial plant, which is popular in such Asian countries as China, India, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam [23,24]. Almost all parts of lotus, like buds, flowers, anthers, stamens, leaves, stalks, rhizomes, roots, and seeds are useful [25]. Due to a high demand for food, seeds are the main product of lotus. ...
Article
Full-text available
An advanced magnetic biochar (MBC) was facilely prepared via one-pot FeCl 3 -activation of lotus seedpod. Simultaneous carbonization, activation, and magnetization formed magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and nanowires over the biochar base. The specific surface area (S BET ) and the total pore volume (V total ) of MBC were 349 m ² /g and 0.31 cm ³ /g, which were 2.0-fold and 3.9-fold higher than those of biochar, respectively. In addition, the saturation magnetization of MBC reached 6.94 emu/g, which could facilitate its magnetic separation and recovery. In heterogeneous Fenton-like catalytic oxidation, 0.40 g/L MBC decolorized 100% Orange G and reduced 58% COD by 350 ppm H 2 O 2 within 120 min. The degradation kinetics were calculated with different MBC samples and reactions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with the highest rate constant of 0.034 min ⁻¹ . Moreover, catalytic activity dropped by only 6.4% after four reuse cycles, with negligible iron leaching. Based on these results, MBC could be a low-cost, highly effective, and relatively stable catalyst for treating Orange G in wastewater.
... In many Asian countries including Thailand, Japan, China, India, and Sri Lanka, sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., Nelumbonaceae) is used for popular herbal teas and traditional medicines [12,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. This aquatic medicinal plant has a long history of use in foods and traditional medicines, in particular in the form of herbal teas [18,20,25,[34][35][36][37]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Stamen tea from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (or the so-called sacred lotus) is widely consumed, and its flavonoids provide various human health benefits. The method used for tea preparation for consumption, namely the infusion time, may affect the levels of extractable flavonoids, ultimately affecting their biological effects. To date, there is no report on this critical information. Thus, this study aims to determine the kinetics of solid liquid extraction of flavonoid from sacred lotus stamen using the traditional method of preparing sacred lotus stamen tea. Phytochemical composition was also analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant potential of stamen tea was also determined. The results indicated that the infusion time critically affects the concentrations of flavonoids and the antioxidant capacity of sacred lotus stamen tea, with a minimum infusion time of 5–12 min being required to release the different flavonoids from the tea. The extraction was modeled using second order kinetics. The rate of release was investigated by the glycosylation pattern, with flavonoid diglycosides, e.g., rutin and Kae-3-Rob, being released faster than flavonoid monoglycosides. The antioxidant activity was also highly correlated with flavonoid levels during infusion. Taken together, data obtained here underline that, among others, the infusion time should be considered for the experimental design of future epidemiological studies and/or clinical trials to reach the highest health benefits.
Article
Full-text available
Hyperlipidemia is the leading cause for the development of various diseases made pharmaceutical companies to turn towards the herbal products with fewer side effects. In the present research, the Hyperlipidemia activity of Nelumbo nucifera Flower (NN) along with their phytochemical evaluation has been done. The Hyperlipidemia effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Nelumbo nucifera Flower was evaluated in Poloxamer 407 induced hyperlipidemic in male Wistar rats. Hyperlipidemia was induced by giving Poloxamer 407 intrapertonial route for 15 days. The groups of rats selected for the study were treated with Atorvastatin, ethanol extract of Nelumbo nucifera (NN). The analysis of lipids profile such as cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides and liver markers such as SGOT, SGPT were carried out at the end of the study. Administration of NN significantly decreases the Lipid profile and Liver Markers. Likewise, remarkable increase in the level of HDL-C when compared to standard Atorvastatin drug. The levels of SGOT and SGPT were estimated and found to be significantly less than that of hyperlipidemic control group. The results reveal that NN is a rich source for phytoconstituents and can be used as a potent anti Hyperlipidemic agent in pharmaceutical industry.
Article
Full-text available
Hyperlipidemia is the leading cause for the development of various diseases made pharmaceutical companies to turn towards the herbal products with fewer side effects. In the present research, the Hyperlipidemia activity of Nelumbo nucifera Flower (NN) along with their phytochemical evaluation has been done. The Hyperlipidemia effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Nelumbo nucifera Flower was evaluated in Poloxamer 407 induced hyperlipidemic in male Wistar rats. Hyperlipidemia was induced by giving Poloxamer 407 intrapertonial route for 15 days. The groups of rats selected for the study were treated with Atorvastatin, ethanol extract of Nelumbo nucifera (NN). The analysis of lipids profile such as cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides and liver markers such as SGOT, SGPT were carried out at the end of the study. Administration of NN significantly decreases the Lipid profile and Liver Markers. Likewise, remarkable increase in the level of HDL-C when compared to standard Atorvastatin drug. The levels of SGOT and SGPT were estimated and found to be significantly less than that of hyperlipidemic control group. The results reveal that NN is a rich source for phytoconstituents and can be used as a potent anti Hyperlipidemic agent in pharmaceutical industry.
Article
Full-text available
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nymphaeaceae), a perennial aquatic plant, has been used as a medicinal herb in China and India. It has been recorded in the most famous medicinal book in China for more than 400 years. Different part of plant (leaves, seeds, flower, and rhizome) can be used in traditional system of medicine. In traditional system of medicine, the different parts of plant is reported to possess beneficial effects as in for the treatment of pharyngopathy, pectoralgia, spermatorrhoea, leucoderma, smallpox, dysentery, cough, haematemesis, epistaxis, haemoptysis, haematuria, metrorrhagia, hyperlipidaemia, fever, cholera, hepatopathy and hyperdipsia. Following the traditional claims for the use of N.nucifera as cure of numerous diseases considerable efforts have been made by researchers to verify it’s utility through scientific pharmacological screenings. The pharmacological studies have shown that N.nucifera posseses various notable pharmacological activities like amti-ischemic, antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antiobesity, lipolytic, hypocholestemic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, antidiarrhoeal, antifungal, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and diuretic activities. A wide variety of phytoprinciples have been isolated from the plant. The present review is an effort to consolidate traditional, ethnobotanic, phytochemical and pharmacological information available on N.nucifera
Article
Full-text available
Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.), commonly known as the lotus, is an aquatic plant native to India and presently consumed as food, mainly in China and Japan. In addition to its use as food, the lotus plant is also widely used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine. Extracts from different parts of the lotus plant have been reported to show several biological activities, such as antioxidant, free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and immuno-modulatory activities. Despite this, little work has been done in isolating and identifying the proteins responsible for these activities. To date, there is no report on systematic protein analysis of the lotus plant. In this review, we discuss the medicinal value of the lotus plant and reported works on its biological activities. We also present a proteomics approach for systematic investigation of the lotus seed proteome. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v7i1.6394 International Journal of Life Sciences 7(1): 2013; 1-5
Article
Full-text available
Considering the growing interest in assessing the antioxidant capacity of herbal medicine, the present research was aimed to explore antioxidant potentials of NelumbonuciferaGaertn (Nelumbonaceae )flower in-vitro. Hydroethanolic extract of white Nelumbo nucifera (HEWNN) flower and pink Nelumbonucifera (HEPNN) flower were investigated for Total antioxidant capacity. Antioxidant activity by ferric thiocyanate (FTC), Thiobarbituric acid, Ferric reducing antioxidant power, Phosphomolybdenum, Hemoglobin glycosylation, and reducing power methods were estimated in both flowers and compared with standard ascorbic acid in dose dependent manner. In-vitro assays to inhibit free radicals such as 1,1-diphenyl 2-picryl radical (DPPH), superoxide, nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were also carried out. Antioxidant capacity measured by FTC and compared with TBA method showed low absorbance values than control which indicated a high level of antioxidant potential. Both HEWNN and HEPNN flower extracts exhibited maximum activity 16.53 mg and 14.21 mg at 1000 µg/ml extract concentration in FRAP method and 62.5 mg and 56.3 mg ascorbic acid equivalents at 500 µg/ml extract concentration in phosphomolybdenum method. There was also significantly high antioxidant activity (55.5% & 41.6%) of haemoglobin followed reducing power (0.351 & 0.248 Abs) at same 500 µg/ml extract concentration. The results obtained suggest that alkaloids, phenols and flavonoids in flowers yield considerable antioxidant activity. The maximum scavenging activity of HEWNN and HEPNN against DPPH (67.52% & 55.51%), superoxide radical (81.2% & 64.5%), nitric oxide (70.2% & 57.7%), and hydroxyl radical (60.53% & 46.72%) and H2O2 (54.29% & 48.13%) were evaluated. The IC50 values were compared to the standard ascorbate in a dose dependent manner. The results obtained suggest that on comparison with HEPNN flower, HEWNN flower extract may act as a better chemo preventive agent providing promising antioxidant property and offering effective protection from free radicals. Our results clearly indicate that both HEWNN and HEPNN flower extracts have potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacity in all assays. Nelumbonucifera can be used as a lead compound for drug development in future.
Article
The present study is aimed to evaluate the anti diabetic effect of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome and flower extracts on serum glucose level in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The various extracts was prepared and screened for their effects on serum glucose level in rahese studies, we can conclude that the Nelumbo nucifera rhizome and flower extract is a promising anti diabetic agent.ts. In streptozotocin induced animals the various extracts showed significant anti diabetic property. From the result of t.
Article
The aim of the study was to investigate effect of ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Indian Lotus) on haematological parameters in anaemic rats. Haematopoietic activity of ethanolic extract of aerial part of plant was performed using cyclophosphamide (CP) at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg body weight i.p. and haloperidol (HP) at the dose of 0.2 mg/kg body weight induced aplastic and iron deficiency anaemia in rats, respectively. A morphological study of blood cells was performed along with phytochemical screening and iron estimation of extract by qualitative test and spectrophotometric method. The results of evaluation of the haematopoietic activity induced by cyclophosphamide and haloperidol showed that the plant extract diminish the activity of cyclophosphamide and haloperidol at the 200 mg/kg dose. Qualitative test of extract indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, carbohydrates, protein and iron. Iron content was estimated by using spectrophotometric method. The data from results supports the use of N. nucifera Gaertn. In traditional medicine for their haematopoietic activity.
Article
The recent interest on alternative medicine has taken up great dimensions in changing the health care scenario across the globe. The worldwide interest in medicinal plants reflects recognition of the validity of studying the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Hence the present study was carried out to explore antibacterial and antioxidant potential of hydroethanolic extract of both white and pink flowers of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nelumbonaceae) flower in vitro. The antibacterial activity was screened against different bacterial strains by detecting zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The zone of inhibition and MIC values were compared with control compared with standard antibiotic disc suggesting their potential as alternatives to orthodox antibiotics in the treatment of infectious caused by these microorganisms. Total antioxidant potential was evaluated in hydroethanolic extract of white Nelumbo nucifera (HEWNN) flower and hydroethanolic extract of pink Nelumbo nucifera (HEPNN) flower by: Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Hemoglobin glycosylation,Reducing power and Phosphomolybdenum and compared with the standard ascorbic acid in dose dependent manner. Both HEWNN and HEPNN flower extracts showed maximum activity 16.53 mg and 14.21 mg at 1000μg/ml concentration in FRAP assay. Significantly high antioxidant activity (55.5% & 41.6%) was noticed in haemoglobin glycosylation followed reducing power (0.52 & 0.45 Abs). The results suggest that alkaloids, phenols and flavonoids in flowers provide considerable antioxidant activity. However, in comparison with HEPNN flower, HEWNN flower extract exerted effective antibacterial and potent antioxidant activity which can be used as a lead compound for drug development in the future. Keywords-Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn; antibacterial activity; Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC); antioxidant; agar disc diffusion.
Article
BACKGROUND We conducted this investigation in order to examine the anti-obesity and hypolipidaemic effects of Nelumbo nucifera seed ethanol extract (NSEE) in vitro and in vivo. METHODS To study the anti-obesity effect of NSEE in vitro and in vivo, human pre-adipocytes were treated with NSEE, and male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed with a normal diet and a high-fat diet with or without NSEE, respectively. RESULTSIn vitro treatment with NSEE resulted in inhibition of lipid accumulation and decreased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), and leptin in cultured human adipocytes, indicating that it inhibited the differentiation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes. Administration of NSEE resulted in significantly reduced body weight gain and adipose tissue weights in rats. Serum triglyceride and leptin level of the high-fat diet + NSEE group was significantly lower, compared to the high-fat group. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate an inhibitory effect of NSEE on adipogenesis. In addition, NSEE had a beneficial effect, reducing adipose tissue weights, ameliorating blood lipid profile, and modulating serum leptin level in rats fed a high-fat diet. Therefore, we suggest that lotus seed has a potential to be developed as an effective agent against obesity-related diseases. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry