Lotus Seed
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Astringents
Lotus Seed
Latin:
Semen Nelumbinis
Origin:
This herb is the germinating bud of ripe seed of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., belonging to the lotus-lily family (Nelumbonaceae) of the water-lily order (Nymphaeales). This species is found in tropical and subtropical Middle East and Asia, from Egypt eastwards to Iran, India, China, Japan and Australia.
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The other speices of the order is the American lotus, or water chinquapin (N. lu tea, or N. pentapetala), found in the eastern United States and southward to Colombia.
There are a number of freshwater plants called water lily that belong to the order Nymphaeaceae, comprising eight genera native to the temperate and tropical parts of the world. All members of the order are perennial except for the genus Euryale, an annual or short-lived perennial found only in Asia.
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The family Nelumbonaceae is characterized by circular, centrally stalked, slightly hairy leaves up to about 60 cm across, with the margins turned up, forming a funnel- or saucer-shaped depression. The leaves extend, in the Asian species, as much as 2 m above the water instead of floating on it.
The large, attractive flowers also stand high above the water on strong, leafless stalks. They may be up to 25 cm across and have a number of petals, which close at night. The flowers of the Nelumbo nucifera, which stand as much as 1.8 m above the water, are pink or rose-coloured and fragrant. It is in flower from July to August. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). The American lotus has pale yellow flowers that rise about 60 cm above the water.
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Many varieties of the sacred lotus exist in cultivation, including dwarf forms and colour varieties ranging from white to red. It cannot grow in the shade but can grow in water. The plant's many nutlike fruits are produced in the flat upper surface of a spongy receptacle or expanded, fleshy, capsulelike structure, which is wider at the upper end than at the base.
The whole structure dries at maturity, breaks off, and floats about, releasing the seeds, actually the true fruits, through numerous holes in the flat surface. The seeds sink to the bottom and establish new plants. The dried receptacles are used by florists in dried arrangements.
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The whole plant of both species is edible. The rhizomes of Nelumbo nucifera are eaten in Asia either boiled or preserved in sugar and are the source of the starch known as lotus meal. The boiled young leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Even the stamens are used in Southeast Asia for flavouring tea. The American lotus is similarly edible, especially the large rhizomes, which were once a source of starchy food for the American Indians.
The plants are particularly beneficial to wildlife. Beaver, for instance, eat the rootstocks, and fish obtain shade and shelter among the underwater portions of the plants.
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The seeds of the Oriental lotus have been ascribed remarkable powers of longevity and, under ideal conditions, may survive many years. Seeds recovered from an ancient peat bog in Manchuria have been shown by radioactive carbon dating to be some 1,000 years old, yet were capable of germinating.
The green plumule wraped in the core of the seed is called Plumula Nelumbinis.
In China, lotus seed is produced in ponds and lakes of Hunan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang provinces and other parts of southen China. It is collected in August and September every year, dried in the sun after removing the seed skin and used unprepared.
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Also called Lotus Pulp or Fujian Lotus.
See also Herbs, Hemostatics, Lotus Node; and Food, Vegetables, Lotus Root.
Properties:
Sweet and astringent in flavor, mild in nature, it is related to the spleen, kidney and heart channels.
Functions:
Reinforces the spleen and the kidney, astringes the lower-jiao. Thus, it serves to treat deficiency of the spleen and the kidney, and weak lower-jiao manifested as chronic diarrhea, spermatorrhea, leukorrhea.
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Applications:
1. This herb can nourish the heart and tranquilize the mind to treat palpitation and insomnia due to insufficiency of qi and blood:
In treating palpitation and insomnia due to breakdown of the normal physiological coordination between the heart and kidney, the herb can be used in combination with semen ziziphi spinosae, radix polygalae, poria, etc.
2. Invigorating the spleen to arrest diarrhea, leukorrhagia:
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a) For weakness of the spleen and the stomach with anorexia (loss of appetite), loose stool and chronic diarrhea, it is often used with herbs for strengthening the spleen to arrest diarrhea, such as radix codonopsis pilosulae, rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae, rhizoma dioscoreae, semen dolichoris, etc.
b) For insufficiency of the spleen and overabundance of dampness with leukorrhagia, it is used with herbs for eliminating dampness and invigorating the spleen to arrest leukorrhea, such as rhizoma atractylodis, rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae, pericarpium citri reticulatae, rhizoma dioscoreae, etc.
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3. Tonifying the kidney to control seminal emission:
For kidney-deficiency loose of seminal gate with sperrnatorrhea, dizziness, tinnitus, lassitude and amnesia, it is used with herbs for benefiting the kidney to astringe essence such as semen euryales, os draconis fossilia ossis mastodi, semen astragali cornplanati, fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae, etc.
Dosage and Administration:
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Decoction.
Cautions on Use:
Reference Materials:
'On Properties of Herbs' :
"This herb is blended into juice for the treatment of incessant hematemesis."
'The Compendium of Materia Medica' :
"Hematemesis, bloody sputum, strangury (slow and painful spasmodic discharge of urine drop by drop) complicated by hematuria (blood in urine), hematochezia, dysentery with bloody stools, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis."
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Toxic or Side Effects:
Modern Researches:
Lotus seeds and intersegmental parts (lotus nodes) are rich in asparagin, fat, protein, starch and tannin. The seed is sedative. It is used in the treatment of poor digestion, enteritis, chronic diarrhoea, insomnia, palpitations etc.
The plumule and radicle are used to treat thirst in high febrile disease, hypertension, insomnia and restlessness.
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Lotus root is rich in starch, tannate protein, asparagine, pyrocatechol, d-gallic-catechin, neochlorogenic acid, leucocyanidin, leucodephinidin, peroxidase, vitamins B and C.
Lotus root is tonic. The root starch is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, etc., a paste is applied to ringworm and other skin ailments. It is also taken internally in the treatment of haemorrhages, excessive menstruation and nosebleeds.
Lotus stem contains alkaloid, resin and tannate.
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Lotus leaves are rich in nuciferine, nornuciferine, roemerine and quarcetin. The leaf juice is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and is decocted with liquorice (Glycyrrhiza spp) for the treatment of sunstroke.
A decoction of the lotus flowers is used in the treatment of premature ejaculation. The flowers are recommended as a cardiac tonic. A decoction of the floral receptacle is used in the treatment of abdominal cramps, bloody discharges etc.
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The flower stalk is haemostatic. It is used in treating bleeding gastric ulcers, excessive menstruation, post-partum haemorrhage.
The stamens are used in treating urinary frequency, premature ejaculation, haemotysis, epistacis and uterine bleeding.
A decoction of the fruit is used in the treatment of agitation, fever, heart complaints etc.
The plant has a folk history in the treatment of cancer, modern research has isolated certain compounds from the plant that show anticancer activity., 百拇医药