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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Nymphaea lotus contains aporphine alkaloids, particularly nuciferine, which are believed to interact with dopamine and serotonin receptors in the central nervous system. These compounds may modulate neurotransmitter activity to produce calming and sedative effects. The flavonoids and tannins contribute additional anti-inflammatory properties. Research on the precise mechanism remains limited (Evidence Level C), with most understanding derived from traditional use and preliminary phytochemical studies rather than controlled clinical trials.
Can Nymphaea lotus interact with sedative medications?
Yes, Nymphaea lotus may potentiate the effects of central nervous system depressants. Due to its inherent sedative properties, combining it with benzodiazepines, barbiturates, sleep aids, or anti-anxiety medications could cause excessive drowsiness, respiratory depression, or impaired motor coordination. Patients taking prescription sedatives should consult a healthcare provider before using this herb. This potential interaction is based on pharmacological principles and traditional use data (Evidence Level C).
What is the recommended dosage for Nymphaea lotus tea?
The traditional adult dosage for Nymphaea lotus is 2-4 grams of dried flower or rhizome prepared as a tea, taken up to three times daily. This preparation is commonly used for sedative, anti-inflammatory, or anxiolytic purposes. Standardized commercial extracts are not widely available, so dosing relies on traditional preparation methods. Clinical studies establishing optimal therapeutic dosing are lacking (Evidence Level C), so users should begin with lower amounts and adjust based on individual response.
Is Nymphaea lotus safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Nymphaea lotus is considered unsafe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The aporphine alkaloids, including nuciferine, may stimulate uterine contractions or affect fetal development. Traditional use as an emmenagogue further suggests potential effects on reproductive tissues. Due to insufficient safety data and the presence of biologically active alkaloids, pregnant and nursing women should avoid this herb entirely. No established safe dosage exists for these populations (Evidence Level C).
What are the traditional uses of Egyptian water lily?
Nymphaea lotus has been used traditionally in Egyptian and African medicine as a sedative, aphrodisiac, and fever remedy. The plant held sacred significance in ancient Egyptian culture and was employed in religious ceremonies. Modern herbal applications include anxiety support, anti-inflammatory purposes, and sleep promotion. Current evidence supporting these uses is limited (Evidence Level C), with most applications based on ethnobotanical tradition rather than rigorous clinical research.
What side effects can Nymphaea lotus cause?
Nymphaea lotus is generally well-tolerated at recommended doses, with mild drowsiness being the most commonly reported side effect. This sedative effect may impair driving ability or operation of machinery. Some individuals may experience gastrointestinal discomfort or allergic reactions. Long-term safety data is lacking. Due to the presence of aporphine alkaloids, excessive consumption could potentially cause more serious neurological effects. Users should discontinue use if adverse symptoms develop (Evidence Level C).
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Nymphaea lotus, also known as water lily, is an aquatic plant used in traditional medicine across Africa and Asia for various therapeutic purposes [PMID:35144171, 32630721]. It is recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pharmacological activities [PMID:35684520, 33413340].
Background
Nymphaea lotus is an aquatic perennial plant distributed in tropical regions, including Africa and Asia [PMID:27215682, 32630721]. It is utilized as a medicinal plant, food source, and in cosmetics [PMID:32630721].
Traditional uses
Traditional uses include the management of convulsive episodes in Southwestern Nigeria [PMID:35144171], treatment of pain and inflammatory diseases [PMID:33728272], cure of diarrhoea via rhizome use [PMID:27215682], management of diabetes and its complications [PMID:36645154], and treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions and male sexual disorders in Cameroon [PMID:28291734]. It is also used in the management of sleeping sickness in Angola [PMID:38611890] and as a component of traditional medicines in Thailand [PMID:35684520].
Active compounds
The plant contains flavonoids, including myricitrin [PMID:30474534], quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, and kaempferol-3-O-galactoside [PMID:38790706]. Other identified compounds include myricetin-3'-O-(6"-p-coumaroyl)glucoside, macrocyclic derivatives, and pentagalloyl glucose [PMID:12842147]. Extracts are also rich in total phenolics, proanthocyanidins, and tannins [PMID:41903458].
Mechanism of action
The herb exhibits antioxidant activity by scavenging radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation [PMID:33413340, 11837686]. In anticonvulsant activity, it may involve GABAergic-glutamatergic neurotransmission and antioxidant defense mechanisms [PMID:35144171]. In liver protection, it acts via the inhibition of oxidative stress [PMID:27824613]. In silico studies suggest potential binding affinity for antidiabetic targets such as dipeptidyl peptidase-4, glycogen synthase kinase 3, NADPH oxidase (NOX), and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2, as well as anti-inflammatory target cyclooxygenase-2 [PMID:36645154].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DConvulsions/Seizures
Aqueous and ethanol extracts demonstrated anticonvulsant activity in mice against chemical-induced seizures [PMID:35144171]
Evidence DErectile Dysfunction
N. lotus (75 and 200 mg/kg/day) alleviated sexual disability in L-NAME hypertensive male rats [PMID:31467581]
Evidence DDiarrhoea
Methanol rhizome extract significantly reduced the frequency and delayed the onset of castor oil-induced and magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea in mice [PMID:27215682]
Evidence DChronic Liver Injury
Methanol extract protected against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats by inhibiting oxidative stress [PMID:27824613]
Evidence DPain and Inflammation
Methanol leaf extract demonstrated significant anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in rats and mice [PMID:33728272]
Evidence DAnxiety and Depression
Aqueous leaf extract exhibited anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity in mice [PMID:29881419]
Safety & adverse effects
The oral median lethal dose (LD50) of methanol leaf extract was found to be greater than 5,000 mg/kg in rats and mice [PMID:33728272]. Aqueous extract of flowers (200-600 mg/kg) showed no significant toxicity in 28-day subchronic oral studies in Wistar rats [PMID:28291734]. However, ethanolic extracts of the whole plant were reported to be active in brine shrimp lethality tests and caused chromosomal aberrations in rat lymphocytes [PMID:17707603].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies and animal models (Level D), demonstrating significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective potentials. No human clinical trials were provided in the source abstracts.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 30474534 (2020) — Effects of Myricitrin and Relevant Molecular Mechanisms. · Current stem cell research & therapy
2.PMID: 35144171 (2022) — Anticonvulsant activity of Nymphaea lotus Linn. extract in mice: The role of GABAergic-glutamatergic neurotransmission and antioxidant defence mechanisms. · Epilepsy research
3.PMID: 36809964 (2023) — Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the regulatory mechanisms of two tropical water lilies in response to cold stress. · BMC genomics
4.PMID: 31467581 (2019) — Nymphaea lotus Linn. (Nymphaeaceae) Alleviates Sexual Disability in L-NAME Hypertensive Male Rats. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
5.PMID: 35684520 (2022) — Differential Flavonoid and Other Phenolic Accumulations and Antioxidant Activities of Nymphaea lotus L. Populations throughout Thailand.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
Dichloromethane extract of leaves and leaflets exhibited in vitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense [PMID:38611890]
· Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
6.PMID: 33413340 (2021) — Ethanolic extract of Nymphaea lotus L. (Nymphaeaceae) leaves exhibits in vitro antioxidant, in vivo anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities on Jurkat and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. · BMC complementary medicine and therapies
7.PMID: 33728272 (2021) — Anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and possible mechanism of anti-nociceptive action of methanol leaf extract of Nymphaea lotus Linn (Nymphaeceae). · Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
8.PMID: 32708113 (2020) — A Critical Cross-Species Comparison of Pollen from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. vs. Nymphaea lotus L. for Authentication of Thai Medicinal Herbal Tea. · Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
9.PMID: 32630721 (2020) — Enrichment in Antioxidant Flavonoids of Stamen Extracts from Nymphaea lotus L. Using Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Macroporous Resin Adsorption. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
10.PMID: 29881419 (2018) — Evaluation of Anxiolytic and Antidepressant-like Activity of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Nymphaea Lotus Linn. in Mice. · Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
11.PMID: 36645154 (2023) — In silico prediction of the possible antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory targets of Nymphaea lotus-derived phytochemicals and mechanistic insights by molecular dynamics simulations. · Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
12.PMID: 27215682 (2016) — The effect of methanol rhizome extract of Nymphaea lotus Linn. (Nymphaeaceae) in animal models of diarrhoea. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
13.PMID: 38611890 (2024) — Antiprotozoal Activity of Plants Used in the Management of Sleeping Sickness in Angola and Bioactivity-Guided Fractionation of Brasenia schreberi J.F.Gmel and Nymphaea lotus L. Active against T. b. rhodesiense. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
14.PMID: 37484424 (2023) — GC-MS analysis of aqueous extract of Nymphaea lotus and ameliorative potential of its biosynthesized gold nanoparticles against cadmium-induced kidney damage in rats. · Heliyon
15.PMID: 28291734 (2017) — Safety assessment of the aqueous extract of the flowers of Nymphaea lotus Linn (Nymphaeaceae): Acute, neuro- and subchronic oral toxicity studies in albinos Wistar rats. · Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
16.PMID: 38790706 (2024) — Anti-Aging Potential of the Two Major Flavonoids Occurring in Asian Water Lily Using In Vitro and In Silico Molecular Modeling Assessments. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
17.PMID: 17707603 (2007) — Toxicity and mutagenic activity of some selected Nigerian plants. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
18.PMID: 27824613 (2017) — Methanol extract of Nymphaea lotus ameliorates carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver injury in rats via inhibition of oxidative stress. · Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
19.PMID: 41903458 (2026) — Dose-dependent effects of Nymphaea lotus extract in semen extenders on sperm quality and fertility in Thai native roosters during cooled and cryopreserved storage. · Poultry science
20.PMID: 11837686 (2001) — Total phenolics concentration and antioxidant potential of extracts of medicinal plants of Pakistan. · Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences
21.PMID: 12842147 (2003) — Two very unusual macrocyclic flavonoids from the water lily Nymphaea lotus. · Phytochemistry