PHYTOCHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF NELUMBO NUCIFERA

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae), also known as sacred lotus, is a well known medicinal plant. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera ) has been used throughout Egypt, the Middle East, India, and China since ancient times, primarily as a food, but also as a medicine. The fl owers, seeds, leaves, fruit, and rhizomes of the lo tus are all edible. The petals of the flower are used as a wrap for foods in Asia, and the rhizome is a common ing redient in soups and stir-fries. Lotus flowers, leaves, seeds, and fruit have been used traditionally to treat a variety of conditions, including diarrhea, abnormal bleeding, poor digestion, fever, and insomnia. There is not e nough scientific research on the use of lotus for treatme nt of any condition. This article reviews the tradi tional uses, phytochemistry and therapeutic reports on different parts of N.nucifera viz. the seeds, rhizomes, leaves and flowers. This review also describes various compoun ds isolated from different parts of this plant and the therapeutic benefits derived from those phytoconsti tuents.