Waterlily seed

Chinese Name: He ye
Medical Name: Semen Nelumbinis
Latin Name: Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. of the water-lily order (Nymphaeales)
Origin: Dried seed
Property:
Taste:

Western Research

J Biomed Sci. 2005 Dec;12(6):1021-34.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 propagation in HeLa cells interrupted by Nelumbo nucifera
Kuo YC, Lin YL, Liu CP, Tsai WJ.
Institute of Life Science, Fu-Jen University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Inhibitory effects of ethanolic extracts from 10 Chinese herbs on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication were investigated. By a bioassay-guided fractionation procedure, NN-B-5 was identified from seeds of N. nucifera. NN-B-5 significantly blocked HSV-1 multiplication in HeLa cells without apparent cytotoxicity. To elucidate the point in HSV-1 replication where arrest occurred, a set of key regulatory events leading to the viral multiplication was examined, including HSV-1 DNA synthesis and viral immediate early gene expressions. Data from polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting showed that there were impairments of HSV-1 DNA replication in HeLa cells treated with NN-B-5. Results indicated that the production and mRNA transcription of infected cell protein (ICP) 0 and ICP4 were decreased in NN-B-5 treated HeLa cells. Results of an electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that NN-B-5 interrupted the formation of alpha-trans-induction factor/C1/Oct-1/GARAT multiprotein/DNA complexes. The mechanisms of antiviral action of NN-B-5 seem to be mediated, at least in part, through inhibition of immediate early transcripts, such as ICP0 and ICP4 mRNA and then blocking of all downstream viral products accumulation and progeny HSV-1 production.

Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar;10(2-3):165-9.
Hepatoprotective and free radical scavenging effects of Nelumbo nucifera
Sohn DH, Kim YC, Oh SH, Park EJ, Li X, Lee BH
College of Pharmacy and Medicinal Resources Research Center, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, Korea.
Ethanol extracts from Nelumbo nucifera (ENN) seeds were studied for possible antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects. Antioxidative effects were measured spectrophotometrically by reduction of 2,2'-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Hepatoprotective effects were tested using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatocyte toxicity models. ENN showed potent free radical scavenging effects with a median inhibition concentration of 6.49 microg/ml. Treatment of hepatocytes with ENN inhibited both the production of serum enzymes and cytotoxicity by CCl4. The genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of AFB1 were also inhibited by ENN in dose-dependent manners. These hepatoprotective effects of ENN against CCl4 and AFB1 might result from its potent antioxidative properties.