Water Lily

Nymphaea alba

Uses

The aquatic plant water lily belonging to genus Nuphar possesses a number of attributes that are beneficial for our health. The rhizome of this plant is antiseptic as well as astringent. A decoction prepared with the water lily rhizome is effective in curing dysentery or diarrhea caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition, practitioners of herbal medicine have also used the water lily plant to treat other conditions, such as kidney pain, congestion of the bronchi as well as recommended using it as a gargle to treat aching throats. The rhizome is also used to prepare a douche to treat soreness of the vagina and abnormal vaginal discharges. Combined with other herbs like linseed or slippery elm, the water lily rhizome is also used as a poultice to treat abscesses and boils. Like the rhizome, even the flowers of water lily have therapeutic uses. Since long, the flowers of this aquatic plant are presumed to lower sexual cravings. Generally, the flowers have a soothing and tranquilizing impact on the nervous system which makes the flowers valuable for treating conditions like nervous anxiety, insomnia as well as other problems involving the agitation of the nerves. During the World War I, the potent alcoholic extract of Nymphaea alba or the European white lily was used as an anesthetic with great success when the conventional opiate anesthetic became scarce. Nymphaea alba is said to be a close relative to the blue lotus (botanical name, Nymphaea Caerulea) that was earlier revered as a prophetic plant, besides symbolizing of the beginnings of life. Similar to the blue lotus, the white lotus also encloses equal amounts of alkaloids. However, the white lotus is not in as much demand as the blue lotus, primarily because it is not so colourful. Nevertheless, it is available as a less costly and incredibly well-accepted substitute of the blue lotus. It is said that ingesting a decoction or herbal tea prepared with the flowers of water lily causes an effect very akin to apomorphine (an alkaloid obtained from morphine which works as a quick-acting emetic). In effect, the white lotus flowers enclose aporphine, a substance known to be intimately associated with apomorphine, only varying in the absence of two hydroxyl groups. It is perhaps possible to transform aporphine into apomorphine by means of improvement, storage or via the metabolism of an individual. Several people who have ingested a potion prepared with white water lily have reported that they have experienced ecstatic sensations and a floating mood. It is also possible to separately smoke the dehydrated buds and flowers of water lily or by blending them with other smoking substances. In effect, smoking a couple of dried buds is known to be an effective psychoactive (something that affects mental activity) dosage. In addition, freshly obtained rhizome of this aquatic plant can be consumed raw or after cooking. It has been established that consuming a whole fresh rhizome results in a gentle feeling of ecstasy. It is interesting to note that in several magical charms of the Mayan culture, water lily has been conjured to cure ulcers and other skin disorders. On the other hand, numerous reports from the contemporary Yucat�n (a peninsular in Central America and Mexico) depict the use of water lily plant for ethnomedicinal reasons (pertaining to the study of dissimilar cultural methods to health, illness, and disease). The rhizome of water lily possesses numerous therapeutic properties, including astringent, antiscrofulatic (any medicine that cures scrofula), anodyne (a medicinal substance that alleviates pain), sedative and demulcent. As mentioned earlier, the rhizome is collected during autumn and can be dehydrated and stored for use when necessary. The flowers of this aquatic plant are known to decrease sexual desire (anaphrodisiac) and have a tranquilizing effect. It is believed that ingestion of any formulation prepared with water lily flowers soothes the nervous system and has a narcotic consequence on the nerves. These properties of water lily flowers make them useful for treating conditions like sleeplessness, nervousness and other comparable problems. It has been recorded that a decoction prepared with water lily flower and administered as a uterine injection can cure uterine cancer completely. Water lily plant encloses active alkaloids, such as nymphaeine and nupharine. While traditional herbal medicine extensively used the roots, stalks and flowers of water lily, actually the petals as well as other floral parts of this aquatic plant are extremely strong and effective. The active alkaloids enclosed by the water lily plants can be extracted by using alcohol. These active alkaloids actually enhance the tranquilizing consequences of alcohol. In earlier days, monks and nuns used the roots of this plant for centuries as an anaphrodisiac to diminish their sexual drive. The roots were crushed and blended with wine before consumption. Authors of medical textbooks that were printed in the earliest times usually made note of this particular use of the water lily roots along with a caution that the roots of this plant ought not be taken in large amounts and too often.