Lotus are aquatic plants of the genus Nelumbo, which comprises only two species. Nelumbus lutea, also known as American Lotus, is native to North America, while Nelumbus nucifera, the Sacred Lotus, is mostly found in India and China. Both species have flavonoids, which are antifungal substances, according to the Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. Does this Spark an idea?
Nelumbo Nucifera
According to the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Mississippi, a substance extracted from the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera proved to have antifungal activity against Candida albicans, which causes candidiasis or thrush.
Apart from the leaves, Nelumbus nucifera also contain antifungal substances in seeds, according to the University of California Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution. Antifungal substances are also found in rhizomes (stems), according to a document by The Division of Food Science and Biotechnology of Pukyong National University.
Chinese Formula
The Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has been used in Chinese medicine since ancient times. Lotus extracts are combined with other plants substances to produce different formulas.
Qingxin Lianzi Yin, which means "Clear the Heart Lotus Seed Drink" is the traditional formula used against leukorrhea, which can be caused by a variety of microorganisms, including the fungus Candida albicans. According to Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., director of Institute for Traditional Medicine, this formula comprises the lotus's seeds, plus ginseng, astragalus, ophiopogon, plantago seed, lycium bark, hoelen, scute and licorice.
Indian Medicine
Ayurveda is a holistic medical system (treats body, spirit and mind as a whole), developed in India more than 5,000 years ago. It is based on diet, herbal extracts and lifestyle, according to the Ayurvedic Institute.
Lotus formulations can be used treat fungal infections, due to their antifungal pharmacological actions, according to the Ayurveda Consultants website.
Nelumbus Lutea
North American tribes used seeds and starchy roots of the Nelumbus lutea as food. However, there is no formal register that North American Indians used the plant to cure fungal infections.
Preparation
There are many ways of preparing the various parts of the lotus for its use as an antifungal medicine, but specialized practitioners--who have knowledge of proper methods and ingredients' quantities, as well as correct application--should perform the preparation.
These preparations include: decoctions, which consists of boiling flowers and leaves to extract their antifungal components; and alcohol ethanol extraction, which involves maceration of leaves, in contact with alcohol, as stated on mdidea.com.
Warning
Lotus and other herb composts and preparations must be used under medical supervision, as with any other medicine.
Self-medication can be harmful, rather than curative. Always ask you doctor before using any alternative medicine.
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