Research Advances in Lotus Leaf as Chinese Dietary Herbal Medicine

Abstract

Lotus leaf (Heye), the dry foliage of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, has been valuable as a dietary herbal medicine for thousands of years. Phytochemical studies indicated that alkaloids and flavonoids are the main components of Heye. Polysaccharides, terpenes, and amino acids are also active ingredients. The drug properties of Heye are mild and bitter. Meridian tropism is mainly distributed in the liver, spleen, and stomach meridian. In the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theoretical system, it is in many formulas for the therapy of various symptoms, including wasting-thirst induced by summer heat, diarrhea caused by summer heat-dampness and spleen deficiency, hematochezia, flooding and spotting, among others. Nowadays, the extracts and active components of Heye demonstrate multiple bioactivities, for instance anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cardiovascular protective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, antiviral, antimicrobial, as well as hemostatic activities. This review will provide an overview of Heye serving as a typical plant with functions of both medicine and food, including its practical applications in terms of TCM and healthy diet, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, together with its toxicity. Besides, the new points and prospects of Heye in the overview are also outlined straightforwardly.

Effectiveness of Taohong Siwu decoction in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis in hip surgery patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Chinese herbal medicine is a valuable resource to identify new small-molecule drugs against human disease. [29][30][31] In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly integrated with modern medicine by practitioners and clinicians, leading to significant advancements in the treatment of DVT. [32,33] THSWD, a well-known Chinese herbal medicine for promoting and removing blood stasis, is frequently used in clinical practice to prevent blood stasis in fractures or during the early postoperative period.…”

Potential efficacy and mechanism of eight mild-natured and bitter-flavored TCMs based on gut microbiota: A review

“…So far, the phytochemical analysis of Nelumbinis Folium is mainly concentrated on alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, polysaccharides, terpenes, and amino acids. Anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-virus, anti-bacteria, cardiovascular protection, hepatoprotection, hypoglycemia and hemostasis are the representative pharmacological effects corresponding to these bioactive constituents ( Zheng et al, 2022 ).…”

Green Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn) Leaf Using Deep Eutectic Solvents: Process Optimization and Antioxidant Activity

“…The active ingredients in lotus leaves are flavonoids and phenolic acids; the identified phenolic compounds are reported to be catechin, myricetin, isoquercetin, hyperin, and kaempferol [9,10]. Solvent extraction is the most used method to extract flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds.…”