Herbal Section | LOTUS 

Lotus is a plant that grows in lakes and rivers. The flowers, seeds, leaves, and parts of the underground stem (rhizome) are used to make medicine. People use lotus for bleeding, cough, fever, liver and stomach problems, and other conditions, but there is no scientific evidence to support these uses. In Asia, various parts of the lotus plant are commonly used for cooking, baking, and adding flavor to beverages.

How does it work –Lotus contains chemicals that decrease swelling, kill cancer cells and bacteria, reduce blood sugar, help the breakdown of fat, and protect the heart and blood vessels. Chemicals in lotus also seem to protect the skin, liver, and brain.

Uses & Effectiveness-Here is insufficient Evidence for:-Anxiety, Bad breath, Bleeding, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Fever, Liver health, Skin diseases, sore throat and cough, and other conditions. More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lotus for these uses.

Side Effects- When taken by mouth: Lotus is LIKELY SAFE when eaten as food. However, there is not enough known about lotus to know if it is safe when used as a medicine. It can cause allergic reactions such as skin itching in some people.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking lotus as medicine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Diabetes: Lotus might lower blood sugar levels in some people. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use lotus as a medicine.

Surgery: Lotus might lower blood sugar levels. There is concern that taking lotus as a medicine might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgical procedures. Stop using lotus at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with LOTUS-Lotus might lower blood sugar in some people. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking lotus along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed. Some medications for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Pentobarbital (Nembutal) interacts with LOTUS-Pentobarbital causes sleepiness and drowsiness. There is some concern that taking lotus along with pentobarbital might cause too much drowsiness. However, there isn’t enough information to know if this is a big concern.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of lotus depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for lotus. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe, and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using. (Source:-webmd.com)