Herb Profile

Nelumbo Nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera

Nelumbo Nucifera (Nelumbo nucifera) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.

Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — May lower blood glucose or alter metabolic markers; monitor with diabetes medications and avoid unsupervised use during pregnancy. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Sedative, Anti Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Stress
Avoid / review if
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Supervision, Known Allergy To The Plant/Family, Potential Interaction Concern With Antidiabetic Medicines
Next steps

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Nelumbo Nucifera monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

Safety

Safety & Cautions

May lower blood glucose or alter metabolic markers; monitor with diabetes medications and avoid unsupervised use during pregnancy.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Supervision
  • Known Allergy To The Plant/Family
  • Potential Interaction Concern With Antidiabetic Medicines
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Use Clinician Review For High Dose Extracts Or Chronic Use.

Safety classifications

  • Interaction-Aware: Medication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • May lower blood glucose or alter metabolic markers; monitor with diabetes medications and avoid unsupervised use during pregnancy.

Safety labels

  • Interaction-Aware
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

Moderate Caution

110 flagged pairings

Blood-sugar lowering

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Blood-sugar loweringCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 110 of 110 pairings in this mechanism group.

+98 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Metabolic Regulation · Stress Response Modulation · AMPK Signaling

Research maturity: Emerging research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — May lower blood glucose or alter metabolic markers; monitor with diabetes medications and avoid unsupervised use during pregnancy.

This profile cites 3 human studies.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Randomized controlled trial
Risk of Bias
Low
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a randomized controlled trial, drawn from 3 recorded studies, 1 in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (5)1 human evidence source · 1 human trial · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

Filter by study class

Showing 5 of 5 studies.

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 5 structured sources, including 1 human evidence source; 1 is a human trial.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

A randomized trial in 60 overweight participants reported reductions in some body-fat/body-composition measures after 12 weeks of sun-dried lotus-leaf extract. The sample is small and evidence is extract-specific.

Background
Randomized controlled trial

Randomly assigns participants to interventions or controls, reducing many sources of bias when the trial is conducted well.

—————A randomized trial in 60 overweight participants reported reductions in some body-fat/body-composition measures after 12 weeks of sun-dried lotus-leaf extract. The sample is small and evidence is extract-specific.PubMed →

Anti-Aging Potential of Phytoextract Loaded-Pharmaceutical Creams for Human Skin Cell Longetivity

Jadoon S et al. · Oxid Med Cell Longev · 2015

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

A review of lotus alkaloids notes low bioavailability and unresolved clinical efficacy/safety, limiting translation from extensive preclinical pharmacology.

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

—————A review of lotus alkaloids notes low bioavailability and unresolved clinical efficacy/safety, limiting translation from extensive preclinical pharmacology.PubMed →

Nuciferine Alleviates High-Fat Diet- and ApoE(-/-)-Induced Hepatic Steatosis and Ferroptosis in NAFLD Mice via the PPARα Signaling Pathway

Qiu J et al. · J Agric Food Chem · 2024

Background
Other / unclear

The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy.

——————PubMed →

Effect of Neferine on DNCB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis in HaCaT Cells and BALB/c Mice

Yang CC et al. · Int J Mol Sci · 2021

Background
Other / unclear

The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy.

——————PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Preparation varies by tradition and product form and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Nelumbo Nucifera works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Nelumbo Nucifera Works

How Nelumbo Nucifera WorksNelumbo Nucifera acts on biological target pathways via metabolic (regulation), leading to sedative.Nelumbo NuciferaBiological TargetBiological pathwayMetabolicRegulationSedativeObservable outcomeHPA AxisModulation
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Metabolic Regulation
  • Stress Response Modulation
  • AMPK Signaling
  • NF KB Modulation

Active Compounds

Key constituents studied in Nelumbo Nucifera, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.

Compare related active botanicals

Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.

Compare & Sourcing

Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.

Review available sources for Nelumbo Nucifera

Independent database mapping — evaluated separately from safety and efficacy scores.

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Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

By Willie B. Randolph III

Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

Editorial Standards →

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