Nelumbo Nucifera Research Articles

Disentangling the effects of liquid nitrogen on impermeable seed coated species

Nelumbo nucifera, commonly known as the sacred lotus, is a plant of deep cultural, nutritional, and environmental importance, especially in Asian countries. It is widely used for its edible seeds and roots, and it also has ceremonial significance in many cultural traditions. In addition to its use in cuisine and rituals, Nelumbo nucifera plays a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems, oxygenating the water and providing habitat for various species of wildlife. However, the wider use of Nelumbo nucifera in nature management and agriculture is hindered by the physical dormancy of its seeds. This dormant trait prevents seeds from germinating under normal conditions, thereby limiting their natural dispersal and use in controlled cultivation and recovery projects. Liquid nitrogen (LN) treatment is investigated to disturb the dormancy of impermeable Nelumbo nucifera seeds by physically damaging the seed shell and facilitating water and oxygen penetration. Extremely low temperatures during LN treatment can weaken the seed coat, improving water absorption and promoting germination. This research investigates how LN treatment affects seed germination and seedling growth compared to untreated seeds. Various factors, such as seed quality, treatment duration, and germination conditions, are considered when evaluating the effectiveness of LN treatment. Conduct thorough experiments and optimize LN treatment protocols to maximize the benefits of Nelumbo nucifera seed germination.

Inhibitory potential of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn extract on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Inhibitory potential of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn extract on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Anti-inflammatory oleanane triterpenoids with mono-, di-, and tri-palmitoyl chains from the stamen of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn

Ten undescribed compounds were isolated from the stamen of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., including seven oleanane triterpenoid glycosides with 1–3 palmitoyl chains (1–7), an oleanane triterpenoid aglycon (8), and two degraded cycloartane triterpenoids (9 and 10). In addition, seven known oleanane triterpenoids (11–17) were isolated. Among these compounds, 9 was an artificial and 14 was novel and natural product. The anti-inflammatory activity of the 10 undescribed compounds was evaluated by analyzing their inhibitory effects on the release of NO in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Nelmnucifergenin A (8) and nelmnucifergenin B (9) showed the maximum inhibitory effects with IC50 values of 16.79 and 20.78 μM, respectively. Additionally, they inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6 and down-regulated the key inflammation-related enzymes (iNOS and COX-2).

Evaluation and validation of suitable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR analysis in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.)

The qRT-PCR technique has been regarded as an important tool for assessing gene expression diversity. Selection of appropriate reference genes is essential for validating deviation and obtaining reliable and accurate results. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn) is a common aquatic plant with important aesthetic, commercial, and cultural values. Twelve candidate genes, which are typically used as reference genes for qRT-PCR in other plants, were selected for this study. These candidate reference genes were cloned with, specific primers designed based on published sequences. In particular, the expression level of each gene was examined in different tissues and growth stages of Lotus. Notably, the expression stability of these candidate genes was assessed using the software programs geNorm and NormFinder. As a result, the most efficient reference genes for rootstock expansion were TBP and UBQ. In addition, TBP and EF-1α were the most efficient reference genes in various floral tissues, while ACT and GAPDH were the most stable genes at all developmental stages of the seed. CYP and GAPDH were the best reference genes at different stages of leaf development, but TUA was the least stable. Meanwhile, the gene expression profile of NnEXPA was analyzed to confirm the validity of the findings. It was concluded that, TBP and GAPDH were identified as the best reference genes. The results of this study may help researchers to select appropriate reference genes and thus obtain credible results for further quantitative RT-qPCR gene expression analyses in Lotus.

Physicochemical properties and volatile compounds of whole lotus root powders prepared by different drying methods

This research aimed to evaluate the effects of freeze-drying (FD), hot air drying (HAD), hot air drying combined with baking (HADB) on the color, antioxidant activity, thermal and pasting properties, as well as volatile compounds of whole lotus root powders (WLRPs). The highest browning degree and antioxidant activity of WLRP was obtained by HAD at 80 °C for 6 h. The gelatinization temperatures of the FD sample were higher than those of the HAD and HADB samples. WLRP prepared by HADB at 120 °C for 5 min had the highest trough and final viscosities. Furthermore, headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) analysis showed that 125 and 97 volatile compounds were identified from WLRPs in dried and hydrated states, respectively. The types of identified compounds were the most in dried HADB, followed by dried HAD and FD, which were also affected by the drying temperature and time. The hydration treatment led to an increase in the detected compounds from the FD sample and a decrease in those from the HAD and HADB samples. These observations indicated that the quality of WLRPs depended on the drying technique and conditions, which could be useful for selecting an appropriate drying method to prepare desirable WLRPs products.

Species Diversity and Composition of Macrophytes in Shallabugh Wetland, Ganderbal, Jammu, and Kashmir, India

Macrophyte diversity, richness, and composition of the Shallabugh wetland Reserve, one of the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area in India. The wetland shows the presence of 39 plant species of 27 families and three tree species belonging to three families and a diversity index of H = 3.12 and Evenness e^H/S = 0.5836. The high Importance Value Index (IVI=22.8) was recorded for Typha latifolia, followed by Ceratophyllum demersum (IVI=19.2). The shift in macrophyte community structure is evidenced by the local extinction of Nelumbo nucifera from the Shallabugh wetland area and the near-disappearance of some economically important plants such as Trapa natans (IVI= 0.24). The investigation of various aspects of the wetland ecology of Shallabugh reveals that species composition has witnessed great changes over the years. The conversion of the 141 hectares of wetland into grassland gave way for terrestrial species to flourish. The study serves as the baseline study of the macrophyte community composition and structure of the Shallabugh wetland.

MoS2@ZIF-8-based aerogel with multiscale biomimetic structure achieving all-day desalination and wastewater purification

In emerging freshwater generation strategy, solar driven evaporation technology has been brought into focus owing to its non-pollution and facile facilities. However, maintaining high freshwater yield remains a challenge under natural circumstances. Herein, MoS2@ZIF-8-based aerogel featuring a lotus root hourglass-shaped structure (denoted as LMZA) for efficient freshwater production via hybrid energy harvesting is ingeniously devised. After being integrated with metallic 1 T phase MoS2 and a vertically aligned porous structure, LMZA not only achieves an outstanding evaporation rate at different incident angles and intensities, but also utilizes wind or environmental energy for evaporation. More importantly, the proposed LMZA also achieved a fast evaporation rate of 8.47 kg m-2h−1 under 4.0 m s−1 without solar irradiation, which fully eliminated the impact of solar intermittency. Afterward, LMZA with a cross-scale hierarchical structure for desalination exhibits an evaporation rate of up to 2.08 kg m-2h−1 under one sun irradiation in 20 wt% brine, and possesses exceptional adaptability and stability. Besides, another advantage of LMZA is the effective purification of cadmium-containing wastewater through water evaporation and in situ adsorption. The removal efficiency is 74 % under one sun irradiation, and the condensed water with undetected Cd(II) heavy metal ions was obtained. More importantly, combined with ambient factors such as wind and ambient temperature in the natural environment, the home-made device achieves all-day freshwater generation with a daily yield of 27.08 kg m−2. The investigation of the device and LMZA pioneers a novel design concept for high yield freshwater generation in practical applications.

Southern blight of water lily: The first host record of Agroathelia rolfsii on Nelumbo nucifera discovered in Florida, USA.

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nelumbonaceae, Eudicots), also known as water lily or sacred lotus, is a nonnative and invasive plant commonly found in artificial ponds and natural lakes throughout Florida (UF-IFAS 2023; Wunderlin et al. 2023). In August 2020, a single sample of water lily plants showing large leaf spots were collected at a residence in Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida (80% disease prevalence with 40% leaf coverage). Symptoms and signs of the disease were necrotized adaxial leaf spots only, bordered by whitish mycelia and hyphae with clamp connections, and whitish to light brown sclerotia formed in the center (<0.7 mm diameter). Symptomatic tissue was plated on acid potato dextrose agar (APDA) amended with chloramphenicol (100 mg/L) and ampicillin (30mg/L), and incubated at 20 °C for one week. Data supporting the molecular identification of this putative pathogen were gathered by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and a fragment of the large subunit (LSU) of the rRNA gene (~1.5 kb) using primers ITS1F and LR5 (FDACS-DPI PPST 2020-105211, GenBank OR492009) (White et al. 1990). The identification of the host was confirmed by Sanger sequencing of three plant barcode fragments: ITS2 (ITS2-S2F/ITS4, OR492008), ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) (rbcLa-F/rbcLa-R, GenBank OR502388), and Maturase K (matK) (matK-KIM1R/matK-KIM3F, GenBank OR502389) (Fazekas et al. 2012). MegaBLAST queries of the ITS/LSU sequence obtained here recovered a 99.61% match to the fungal pathogen Agroathelia (=Athelia) rolfsii (Sacc.) Redhead & Mullineux. (Redhead and Mullineux 2023) (Amylocorticiaceae, Agaricomycotina) strain GP3 (GenBank JABRWF010000005) (Yan et al. 2021). MegaBLAST queries of three host plant DNA barcodes recovered matches of greater than 99.62% similarity to N. nucifera sequences. After diagnosis, symptomatic dried leaf samples were deposited at Plant Industry Herbarium Gainesville (PIHG 17807) and an axenic culture was deposited at the Agricultural Research Services Culture Collection (NRRL 66964). Koch's postulates were fulfilled by the inoculation of sclerotia (as in Terrones-Salgado et al. 2022) on adaxial leaf surface of four-week- old water lily transplants obtained from an artificial pond on campus (two plants with five leaves each). One additional transplant was not inoculated and served as a control; this plant remained asymptomatic during the experimentation period. Each transplant was kept in a 27-gallon plastic container (21W × 30L × 14H in) filled with tap water containing one tablespoon of 20-20-20 all-purpose-water-soluble plant fertilizer (VPG, TX, USA) in a plant biosafety level 2 greenhouse (23 °C, >50% relative humidity, and a 12-h/12-h photoperiod). All inoculated leaves showed necrotized areas after one week and new sclerotia were observed floating on the water surface after three weeks. Fungal pathogen was reisolated and reidentified subsequently. Agroathelia rolfsii is the causal agent of southern blight, also known as grey rot, and is reported from at least in 260 plant genera, including specialty crops such as citrus, cucumber, pepper, peanuts, pumpkin, and strawberry (Farr and Rossman 2018). Agroathelia rolfsii usually causes lower stem, crown, and root rots; consequently, leaf spots are a noteworthy presentation of symptoms for this fungus.

Construction and characterization of a novel Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle for enhanced stability and bioavailability of myricetin

In this study, a novel self-assembled micelle (Myr-OSADS-CIn) based on OSA-debranched lotus root starch (OSADS) and cationic inulin (CIn) was successfully constructed to enhance the stability and bioavailability of myricetin (Myr). Firstly, lotus root starch and inulin were chemically modified. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Element analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of OSADS and CIn. When the optimal weight ratio of Myr/OSADS/CIn was 1:40:120, a stable Myr-OSADS-CIn composite micelle was successfully formed. The key characteristics of the micelle included a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.321, a zeta-potential of +24.247 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 87.536%. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed unique core-shell structures within the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle. The formation and stability of the composite micelle were primarily influenced by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Notably, the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle exhibited excellent biocompatibility, significant antioxidant activity and controlled release of Myr. Furthermore, in vivo bioavailability of Myr in the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle was found to be 4.054 times higher compared to free Myr. In conclusion, the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle shows promise as a delivery system for the effective use of Myr in the food industry.

Lotus seed (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) extract at low dose ameliorates reproductive dysfunction in l-NAME-induced hypertension and oxidative stress in male rats

Background and aimNelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Lotus) seeds have been traditionally used to treat hypertension and are reported to have antioxidant effects. The role of lotus seeds in reproductive dysfunction associated with hypertension has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate lotus seed extract (LSE) on reproductive functions in Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME) induced hypertension and oxidative stress in rats. Experimental procedureMale Sprague–Dawley rats were allocated into six groups: i) normotensive rats, ii) rats treated with l-NAME (40 mg/kg), iii-vi) rats treated with l-NAME + either 10, 100, 300 mg/kg LSE or 5 mg/kg captopril for 5 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), sperm concentrations, viability and motility and the serum testosterone were measured. The morphology, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were evaluated in testis and epididymis. Results and conclusionl-NAME-treated rats exhibited high SBP (181.9 ± 6.5 mmHg, P < 0.01) and reduced SOD activities in comparison to the normal group. These were significantly improved by the administration of 10, 100, 300 mg/kg LSE or captopril (P < 0.05). l-NAME also led to a significant increase in MDA, and reductions in sperm count, viability and motility, testosterone levels, as well as the diameter and epithelial thickness of the seminiferous tubules. Treatment with 10 mg/kg LSE or captopril significantly attenuated these effects (P < 0.05), whereas 100 and 300 mg/kg LSE showed no significant differences compared to the l-NAME group. Thus, our study demonstrates that a low dose of LSE has therapeutic potential in alleviating reproductive dysfunction associated with hypertension.

Antibacterial Activity of Herbal Tea Extract from Lotus Leaves (Nelumbo nucifera) Using Different Solvents

This research aimed to examine the antibacterial activity of lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) extract as a basis for herbal tea production. Lotus leaf was chosen as the herbal tea ingredient due to its abundant availability in South Kalimantan and its believed beneficial phytochemical content for health. The research process involved several stages including lotus leaf herbal tea processing, multi-stage maceration extraction using hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol solvents, and testing the extract's ability against Escherichia coli bacteria. The research design employed a 2-factor complete randomized design, with the first factor being the extract concentration and the second being the solvent type. Data analysis was conducted using Two-Way ANOVA in IBM SPSS 25. The results revealed that ethanol solvent produced the highest concentration extract with a yield of 10.86%, while hexane solvent yielded the lowest at 1.64%. Subsequent antibacterial activity testing was carried out using direct contact method with lotus leaf extract concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% in all three solvents. The findings indicated that 0.5% and 1% concentration extracts inhibited Escherichia coli growth across all solvents, whereas the 1.5% extract concentration in ethanol was capable of killing Escherichia coli bacteria. It was concluded that lotus leaf extract holds potential as an antibacterial agent, with higher extract concentrations showing greater efficacy in inhibiting bacterial growth. The 1.5% concentration (45 μl) exhibited the most effective results in killing Escherichia coli, underscoring the potential of Nelumbo nucifera lotus leaf in the development of antibacterial herbal products.

AN UNUSUAL FLOWER AMONG THE TRADITIONAL ANTHEMION IN SMINTHEION: ARUM MACULATUM

Anthemion frieze in Greek and Roman architecture consists of lotus and palmette flowers, whose origins are based on Egyptian and Assyrian art. Compared to the classical and Hellenistic architectural samples, there is much more variety in the architectural decorations of the Roman period, apart from the lotus-palmette. The reason for this diversity in decoration stems from the idea of Rome to emphasize the local and to increase the richness in decoration. During this period, the change in the arrangement of the lotus-palmette shows itself with the different arrangement and style of the lotus and palmettes on the same structure. In this thought, which aims to create richness instead of uniformity, decorations can either increase or decrease in size or be adorned in high relief or shallow, depending on where they are used. Vivid specimens that show the highest quality of workmanship and are pleasing to the eye are preferred in visible areas. Anthemion decoration has been widely used in the Hellenistic triple arrangement since the Augustus period and the Julius-Claudian period. In the Traian and Hadrian Periods, a return to the classical style of the Augustus period was made, and the triple arrangement became fashionable again. One example that adds a new type to this traditional lotus-palmette (anthemion) frieze is the Smintheion frieze block fragment. Here, the arum maculatum is placed instead of the lotus flower between the alternating open and closed palmettes seen in the most common anthemion decoration. Arum maculatum and arum species have been used in the treatment of some diseases since ancient times to find healing and continue to be used today. The fact that this plant is the most powerful and showy plant that survived around Gülpınar-Smintheion must have had a great impact on people. Arum is a plant that impresses people with its external appearance and leaves different implications with its sexual connotation. At the same time, it is different from other plants in that it contains both male and female flowers and its physical structure. Due to this structure, it attracts insects to itself and makes extraordinary fertilization. The appearance of the plant and its use in the field of health caused it to be named differently. The depiction on the frieze block in Smintheion must be related to the healing properties of Apollo

First Report of Neofusicoccum parvum Causing Seedpod Blight on Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in China.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is a widely cultivated plant in China, and the fruit lotus variety has a high economic value attributed to the exquisite flavor of its fresh seeds. During the summer of 2023, an unidentified blight was observed affecting lotus seedpods in Jiande City, Zhejiang province, with approximately 65% of seedpods impacted in a 130-hectare area. The initial symptoms included dark purple spots on the lotus seedpod surface, which gradually expanded over time. After 5 to 7 days, the entire seedpod turned black, withering, and rendering the lotus seeds inedible. To identify the causal agent, tissues from symptomatic seedpods were excised and disinfected in 75% ethanol for 60 s, and washed twice in sterile distilled water. The disinfected symptomatic tissues (5 × 5 mm) were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), incubated at 25 ℃, transferred hyphal tips to obtain pure isolates after 3 days. Fungal colonies exhibiting Botryosphaeriaceae morphology were isolated from 33% of the samples (n = 15). Pure cultures were grown on PDA for both morphological and molecular identification. The colonies displayed a white aerial mycelium, turning olivaceous grey after 7 days. Pycnidia were produced within 3 weeks on PDA with added sterilized healthy lotus seedpod pieces on the surface. Conidia were hyaline, unicellular, ellipsoidal, 12.65 to 20.72 × 3.92 to 9.38 μm in size (mean 16.67 × 6.24 μm, n = 100). To determine the fungal species, genomic DNA was extracted from one representative isolate (ZJUP1112-1), to amplify four gene loci through polymerase chain reactions (PCR): rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) with primers ITS1/ITS4, rDNA large subunit (LSU) with LR0R/LR5, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1) with EF1-728F/EF1-986R, and β-tubulin gene (tub2) with Bt2a/Bt2b. The PCR products were Sanger sequenced in Zhejiang Shangya biotechnology co., LTD, and the resulting sequences were assembled and deposited in GenBank (ITS: OR740546; LSU: OR740547; tef1: OR776996; tub2: OR776997). BLAST searches indicated the highest nucleotide sequence identity with the reference strains of Neofusicoccum parvum CMW 9081 (ITS: 98.8%, AY236943; LSU: 100%, AY928045; tef1: 99.6%, AY236888; tub2: 99.3%, AY236917). Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses revealed that isolate ZJUP1112-1 formed a highly supported clade with N. parvum. Pathogenicity tests were performed on healthy lotus seedpods using mycelial plugs (5 mm diameter) from actively growing colonies of ZJUP1112-1 that were placed onto the front and side of the seedpods (6 each). Controls received PDA plugs. Treated seedpods were wrapped with parafilm and incubated at 25 ℃ and the experiment was repeated three times. After 5 days, dark purple lesions were observed on the inoculated seedpods, whereas controls remained symptomless. The same isolate was recovered from the margin of resulting lesions and confirmed by morphology, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. N. parvum is a polyphagous pathogen causing blights and fruit rot on multiple economically important fruit crops, such as cacao (Puig et al. 2019), walnut (Chen et al. 2019), pistachio (Lopez-Moral et al. 2020), chestnut (Seddaiu et al. 2021), blueberry (Spetik et al. 2023) and mango (Polizzi et al. 2022), among others. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. parvum causing seedpod blight on lotus seedpods in China, which contributes to a better understanding of the pathogens affecting this plant species in China.

Optimization of Polymer and Plasticizer Composition in the Formulation of Edible Film Strips Ethanol Extract of Seroja Roots (Nelumbo nucifera Gaerth) as Antioxidant

Optimization of Polymer and Plasticizer Composition in the Formulation of Edible Film Strips Ethanol Extract of Seroja Roots (Nelumbo nucifera Gaerth) as Antioxidant

Insights into the chemical composition, nutritional value, and pharmacological activities of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn

Insights into the chemical composition, nutritional value, and pharmacological activities of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn

Synergistic effects of plant genotype and soil microbiome on growth in Lotus japonicus.

The biological interactions between plants and their root microbiomes are essential for plant growth, and even though plant genotype [G], soil microbiome [M], and growth conditions (environment) [E] are the core factors shaping root microbiome, their relationships remain unclear. In this study we investigated the effects of G, M, and E and their interactions on the Lotus root microbiome and plant growth using an in vitro cross-inoculation approach which reconstructed the interactions between nine Lotus accessions and four soil microbiomes under two different environmental conditions. Results suggested that a large proportion of the root microbiome composition is determined by M and E, while G-related (G, G × M, and G × E) effects were significant but small. In contrast, the interaction between G and M had a more pronounced effect on plant shoot growth than M alone. Our findings also indicated that most microbiome variations controlled by M have little effect on plant phenotypes, whereas G × M interactions have more significant effects. Plant genotype-dependent interactions with soil microbes warrant more attention to optimize crop yield and resilience.

Examining starch metabolism in lotus roots (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) during post-harvest storage at different temperatures

This study explores the impact of postharvest storage temperatures (4 °C and 25 °C) on starch metabolism and textural attributes of glutinous lotus root. While starch metabolism is a well-known factor influencing texture, changes in powdery and sticky qualities have remained unexplored. Our research reveals that storing lotus roots at 4 °C delays water dissipation, amylopectin reduction, and the decline in textural elements such as hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and resilience. Lower temperatures postpone amylopectin reduction and sugar interconversion, thereby preserving the sticky texture. Additionally, they suppress starch formation, delay starch metabolism, and elevate the expression of genes involved in starch metabolism. The correlation between gene expression and root texture indicates the critical role of gene regulation in enzyme activity during storage. Overall, low-temperature storage extends lotus root preservation by regulating metabolite content, enzyme activities, and the corresponding genes involved in starch metabolism, preserving both intrinsic and external root quality.

A microCT assessment of archaeological parenchyma from three riverine shell middens dating to the early Holocene, Yongjiang River Basin, Guangxi, southern China

Archaeobotanical investigations at three riverine shell midden sites dating to the early Holocene – Baozitou, Shichuantou and Nabeizui – in the Yongjiang River Basin, Guangxi, southern China have identified charred fragments of archaeological parenchyma. A subset of the archaeological parenchyma was assessed using X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT), which enabled virtual histological examination of the interior of parenchyma fragments. The microCT scanning identified a fragment of lotus root (Nelumbo nucifera), a possible immature fig fruit (poss. Ficus sp.), cooked food fragments, and less diagnostic elements, some of which derive from underground storage organs (USOs), including a bud/bulb and potentially an aroid. The fragment of lotus root from Nabeizui was directly radiocarbon dated using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry to 8770–8544 cal BP. A new AMS radiocarbon chronology based on Canarium nutshells for the three sites indicates that they were all used during the early Holocene. These findings contribute to the understanding of broad spectrum plant use by hunter-gatherer-fisher communities in southern China during the early Holocene, as well as showing the potential of microCT imaging for the analysis of archaeological parenchyma from this region.

Inhibitory effects of nelumbo nucifera flower extract against diabetes mellitus TYPE II

Inhibitory effects of nelumbo nucifera flower extract against diabetes mellitus TYPE II

An Updated Review on Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn: Chemical Composition, Nutritional Value and Pharmacological Activities.

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn is a recognised herbal plant in ancient medical sciences. Each portion of the plant leaf, flower, seed and rhizome is utilised for nutritional and medicinal purposes. The chemical compositions like phenol, alkaloids, glycoside, terpenoids and steroids have been isolated. The plant contains various nutritional values like lipids, proteins, amino acids, minerals, carbohydrates, and fatty acids. Traditional medicine confirms that the phytochemicals of plants give significant benefits to the treatment of various diseases such as leukoderma, smallpox, dysentery, haematemesis, coughing, haemorrhage, metrorrhagia, haematuria, fever, hyperlipidaemia, cholera, hepatopathy and hyperdipsia. To verify the traditional claims, researchers have conducted scientific biological in vivo and in vitro screenings, which have exhibited that the plant keeps various notable pharmacological activities such as anticancer, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antiviral, hypolipidemic, anti-obesity, antipyretic, hypoglycaemic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. This review, summaries the nutritional composition, chemical constituents and biological activities substantiated by the researchers done in vivo and in vitro.