Photoprotective Effect of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) Seed Tea against UVB Irradiation

Alkaloids from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera): recent advances in biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, bioactivity, safety, and industrial applications

Different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) including the seeds, rhizomes, leaves, and flowers, are used for medicinal purposes with health promoting and illness preventing benefits. The presence of active chemicals such as alkaloids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids (particularly alkaloids) may account for this plant's pharmacological effects. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview and summarize up-to-date research on the biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, and bioactivity of lotus alkaloids as well as their safety. Moreover, the potential uses of lotus alkaloids in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors are explored. Current evidence shows that alkaloids, mainly consisting of aporphines, 1-benzylisoquinolines, and bisbenzylisoquinolines, are present in different parts of lotus. The bioavailability of these alkaloids is relatively low in vivo but can be enhanced by technological modification using nanoliposomes, liposomes, microcapsules, and emulsions. Available data highlights their therapeutic and preventive effects on obesity, diabetes, neurodegeneration, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc. Additionally, industrial applications of lotus alkaloids include their use as food, medical, and cosmetic ingredients in tea, other beverages, and healthcare products; as lipid-lowering, anticancer, and antipsychotic drugs; and in facial masks, toothpastes, and shower gels. However, their clinical efficacy and safety remains unclear; hence, larger and longer human trials are needed to achieve their safe and effective use with minimal side effects.

Discovery of eight alkaloids with D1 and D2 antagonist activity in leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Using FLIPR assays

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dopamine receptors are long-standing primary targets in the treatment of mental diseases and there is growing evidence that suggests relationships between obesity and the dopamine system, especially dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. Leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (lotus leaves) have been medically used for helping long-term maintenance of weight loss. Whether and how components of lotus leaves function through the dopamine receptors remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This work aimed to discover dopamine receptor-active alkaloids isolated from the lotus leaves, to evaluate their potencies and to analyze their structure activity relationship.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dried lotus leaves were prepared and total extract was divided into alkaloids and flavones. Eight alkaloids were separated and characterized by a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography, quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance, and assayed by a fluorometric imaging plate reader platform. Human embryonic kidney 239 cell lines expressing dopamine D1, D2 and serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptors, respectively, were cultured and used in the assay.

RESULTS

Alkaloids in the lotus leaves were the bioactive phytochemicals and inhibited dopamine from accessing the D1 and D2 receptors. All eight compounds functioned as D1-receptor antagonists and except N-nornuciferine, seven alkaloids functioned as D2-receptor antagonists. (S)-coclaurine and (R)-coclaurine are optical isomers and antagonized both D1 and D2 with equivalent potencies, suggesting that the optical rotation of the methylene linker in the monobenzyl isoquinoline backbone did not influence their activity. Among the eight alkaloids, O-nornuciferine was the potent antagonist to both receptors (the lowest IC₅₀ values, D1: 2.09 ± 0.65 μM and D2: 1.14 ± 0.10 μM) while N-nornuciferine was found to be the least potent as it moderately antagonized D1 and was inactive on D2. O-nornuciferine was also a 5-HT2A antagonist (IC₅₀~20 μM) while N-nornuciferine had no activity. These hinted the importance of a methyl group attached to the nitrogen atom in the aporphine backbone. Armepavine showed a nearly 10-fold selectivity to D2.

CONCLUSIONS

In this work, eight alkaloids were isolated from the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. and assayed on the D1 and D2 receptors. They were D1/D2 antagonists with IC₅₀ values in the mid- to low-micromolar range and O-nornuciferine was the most potent alkaloid among the eight. This family of alkaloids was biochemically evaluated on the dopamine receptors by the same platform for the first time.

Skin hyperpigmentation and its treatment with herbs: an alternative method

Background

With an increasing number of patients, those who are facing a lot of skin-related complaints, often referred to as skin of pigmentation patients, are on the rise. Among all the most common complaints in patients with skin of color is hyperpigmentation. So, there is need of herbal formulation for treatment of hyperpigmentation.

Main body

This review article addresses the different types of hyperpigmentation, causes, and its treatment with herbs for the management of the skin hyperpigmentation. As uneven pigmentation of skin or hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition, which occurs when the skin produces more melanin. This can make spots or patches of skin appear darker than surrounding areas. Some forms of hyperpigmentation with post-inflammatory, melasma, and sun spots are more likely to affect areas of face, arms, and legs due to sun exposure and injury. Although the availability of multiple treatments for the condition which leads to some adverse effects, hyperpigmentation continues to present skin care management challenges for dermatologists.

Conclusion

Some plants and phytoconstituents, e.g., Azadirachta indica, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Panax ginseng and genistein, ellagic acids, quercetin, are very useful in herbal cosmetic as anti-hyperpigmentry agents in cosmetic industries. Some of flavonoids and triterpenoids present in plants also show their effect as antioxidant and skin whitening agents. It is expected that this review will compile and improve the existing knowledge on the potential utilization of herbs for the treatment of skin hyperpigmentation.

Lotus seeds (Nelumbinis semen) as an emerging therapeutic seed: A comprehensive review

Nelumbinis semen is commonly known as lotus seeds that have been used as a vegetable, functional food, and medicine for 7,000 years. These are low caloric, a rich source of multiple nutrients and bioactive constituents, which make it a unique therapeutic food. N. semen plays an important part in the physiological functions of the body. Nowadays, people are more conscious about their health and desire to treat disease naturally with minimal side effects. So, functional foods are getting popularity due to a wide range of essential constituents, which are associated to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. These bioactive compounds from seeds are involved in anti-adipogenic, antioxidant, antitumor, cardiovascular, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, anti-microbial, anti-viral, hypoglycemic, etc. Moreover, the relationship between functional compounds along with their mechanism of action in the body, their extraction from the seeds for further research would be of great interest.

Metabolomics Analyses of Cotyledon and Plumule Showing the Potential Domestic Selection in Lotus Breeding

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) seeds are widely consumed as functional food or herbal medicine, of which cotyledon (CL) is the main edible part, and lotus plumule (LP) is commonly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the chemical components of CL and LP in dry lotus seeds, not to mention the comparison between wild and domesticated varieties. In this study, a widely targeted metabolomics approach based on Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-electrospray ionization-Tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was utilized to analyze the metabolites in CL and LP of China Antique (“CA”, a wild variety) and Jianxuan-17 (“JX”, a popular cultivar). A total of 402 metabolites were identified, which included flavonoids (23.08% to 27.84%), amino acids and derivatives (14.18–16.57%), phenolic acids (11.49–12.63%), and lipids (9.14–10.95%). These metabolites were classified into ten clusters based on their organ or cultivar-specific characters. Most of these metabolites were more abundant in LP than in CL for both varieties, except for metabolites belonging to organic acids and lipids. The analysis of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) demonstrated that more than 25% of metabolites detected in our study were DAMs in CL and LP comparing “JX” with “CA”, most of which were less abundant in “JX”, including 35 flavonoids in LP, 23 amino acids and derivatives in CL, 7 alkaloids in CL, and 10 nucleotides and derivatives in LP, whereas all of 11 differentially accumulated lipids in LP were more abundant in “JX”. Together with the fact that the seed yield of “JX” is much higher than that of “CA”, these results indicated that abundant metabolites, especially the functional secondary metabolites (mainly flavonoids and alkaloids), were lost during the process of breeding selection.

Transdermal Delivery Systems of Natural Products Applied to Skin Therapy and Care

Natural products are favored because of their non-toxicity, low irritants, and market reacceptance. We collected examples, according to ancient wisdom, of natural products to be applied in transdermal delivery. A transdermal delivery system, including different types of agents, such as ointments, patches, and gels, has long been used for skin concerns. In recent years, many novel transdermal applications, such as nanoemulsions, liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, and microneedles, have been reported. Nanosized drug delivery systems are widely applied in natural product deliveries. Nanosized materials notably enhance bioavailability and solubility, and are reported to improve the transdermal permeation of many substances compared with conventional topical formulations. Natural products have been made into nanosized biomaterials in order to enhance the penetration effect. Before introducing the novel transdermal applications of natural products, we present traditional methods within this article. The descriptions of novel transdermal applications are classified into three parts: liposomes, emulsions, and lipid nanoparticles. Each section describes cases that are related to promising natural product transdermal use. Finally, we summarize the outcomes of various studies on novel transdermal agents applied to skin treatments.

Gastroprotective Effects of Fermented Lotus Root against Ethanol/HCl-Induced Gastric Mucosal Acute Toxicity in Rats

Gastric ulcers are a common gastrointestinal disease across the globe. Alcohol consumption is the primary cause of gastric carcinogenesis and progression. We investigated the gastroprotective effects of fermented lotus root (FL) against ethanol (EtOH)/HCl-induced gastric ulcers in a rat model and the conceivable underlying mechanisms involved. Rats received different doses of FL (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) or ranitidine (positive control, 30 mg/kg) via oral gavage daily for 14 days. One hour after the last oral administration of FL, the EtOH/HCl mixture was orally intubated to induce gastric damage. Oral administration of FL significantly alleviated the gastric lesions. Moreover, FL also elevated the amounts of nitric oxide and the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in the stomach. To verify the gastric mucosal defense mechanism, inflammation-related genes were measured. Our results revealed that FL effectively inhibited gastric mucosal damage via downregulation of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) response in the stomach. The administration of FL significantly lowered the gastric mRNA expression of inflammation-related genes, including NF-κb1, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon γ, and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, compared with the gastric ulcer control group. In addition, the NF-κB signaling pathway-related protein markers inhibitor of κB (IκB)-α, IκB kinase, and NF-κB were significantly reduced in the FL groups. Taken together, these data suggest that FL administration may have potential as an alternative treatment for gastric ulcers due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to promote the recovery of gastric mucosa.

The use of natural ingredients in innovative Korean cosmeceuticals

BACKGROUND

The cosmeceutical industry is an ever-growing and in demand market, especially in Asia. Korea has been on the forefront of creating the newest generation and most innovative cosmeceuticals products including ingredients such as snail secretions, starfish powder, botanical extracts, green tea, and red ginseng. Given their increasing prevalence in the cosmeceutical industry, scientists have been conducting investigations into these extracts and their properties.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the current literature surrounding multiple natural ingredients found in Korean cosmeceutical products.

METHODS

A review of the literature surrounding natural ingredients found in Korean cosmeceuticals was conducted using PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).

RESULTS

Multiple natural extracts have been found to have antiaging, antitumor, and antimelanogenic effects making them useful additives in current cosmeceutical products.

CONCLUSION

With the public's increasing awareness of cosmeceutical products, it is important for physicians to understand the properties of these extracts in order to inform patients correctly and ensure patient safety.

Lotus Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids: Health Promotion and Safe Consumption Dosages

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., also known as the sacred lotus, is extensively cultivated in Southeast Asia, primarily for food and as an herbal medicine. This article reviews studies published between 1995 and 2017, on flavonoid and phenolic acid profiles and contents of 154 different cultivars of lotus. So far, some 12 phenolic acids and 89 to 90 flavonoids (47 flavonols, 25 to 26 flavons, 8 flavan-3-ols, 4 flavanons, and 5 anthocyanins) have been isolated from different parts of the lotus plant, including its leaves (whole leaf, leaf pulp, leaf vein, and leaf stalk), seeds (seedpod, epicarp, coat, kernel, and embryo), and flowers (stamen, petal, pistil, and stalk), although not all of them have been quantified. Factors affecting flavonoids and phenolic acid profiles, including types of tissues and extracting factors, are discussed in this review, in order to maximize the application of the lotus and its polyphenols in the food industry. Health promotion activities, attributed to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids, are described along with toxicology studies, illustrating appropriate usage and safe consumption dosages of lotus extracts. This review also presents the controversies and discusses the research gaps that limit our ability to obtain a thorough understanding of the bioactivities of lotus extracts.