The Nutritional Powerhouse: A Comprehensive Review of Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus Plant) and its Therapeutic Benefits

Abstract

Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus) belongs to the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae. It is found primarily in Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. It is common in different countries, such as the Indian lotus, the Chinese water lily, and the sacred lotus. It has been used and cultivated as a vegetable because of its unique phytomorphology for more than 2000 years. The plant has different parts, i.e., leaf, stem, rhizome, seed, stamen, seed pod, etc. The leaf, seed, and rhizome of lotus are used for the treatment of different diseases, such as smallpox, leucoderma, hematemesis, dysentery, pharyngopathy, pectoralgia, spermatorrhoea, cough, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematuria, metrorrhagia, hyperlipidemia, fever, cholera, hepatopathy, and polydipsia. Different phytochemicals, including steroids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, are present in lotus extracts and play beneficial roles in skin whitening and in the treatment of cancer, hepatic steatosis, hyperglycemia, and Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of a steroidal triterpenoid in the rhizome extract was used due to its antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. The condensed tannins of lotus may precipitate proteins and reduce foam formation, serving in the rumen. It can serve as a potential alternative to chemical anthelmintics for controlling gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. This study explores the potential applications of N. nucifera in contemporary medicine and sustainable agriculture, highlighting the need for additional investigations to better understand its medicinal properties and environmental advantages. It also identifies critical research gaps, such as the need for clinical trials, dosage standardization, and detailed toxicological studies, to translate traditional wisdom into evidence-based applications.