Utilization of aquatic plants: a method to enhance the productivity of water in seasonal tanks in the Anuradhapura District

Heavy infestations of aquatic plants in a water body cause considerable economic and ecological losses. Many seasonal tanks in the Anuradhapura District suffer from this problem and cannot be neglected in water resource development and management schemes. This study was focused on the uses of aquatic plants and the problems caused by huge manifestations of aquatic plants in the selected seasonal tanks in the Anuradhapura District. The study was conducted in four seasonal tanks viz., Galkulama, Thirappane Maradankadawala and Thibbatuwewa in the Anuradhapura District. Information on the utilization of aquatic plants, exploitation level and harmful effects were gathered by using a structured questionnaire to interview people who were residing close to the study sites. The attitudes of the public towards the aquatic plants i.e., conservation of aquatic plants, the potential uses of native plants and harmful effects of invasive aquatic plants were collected. Twelve species were identified as economically important aquatic plants through the questionnaire survey. Among the 50 respondents, 92 % utilized aquatic plants for food, 58 % utilized flowers for offerings and decorations, 52 % utilized aquatic plants for medicinal purposes, 42 % utilized them as ornamental plants, 30 % used them as bio-fertilizers and 28 % utilized them for weaving. The edible aquatic plants consumed by the rural community in the Anuradhapura District are Ipomoea aquatica (72 %), Alternanthera sessilis (66 %), Nelumbo nucifera (64 %), Nymphaea pubescens (60 %) and Aponogeton spp. (52 %). Some edible aquatic plants, namely Neptunia oleracea, Ottelia alismoides and Ceratopteris thalictriodes, which are present in the Anuradhapura District, are not consumed, although these are consumed in many other countries. N. nucifera is the most commonly used flower for offerings in the temples and for decorations. In addition, N. pubescens, Nymphaea nouchali are also used for flowers. Bacopa monnieri, N. nucifera, Acanthus illicifolia, N. nouchali and Aponogeton spp. have been recorded as medicinally important plants. Though there are many ornamentally important aquatic plants, only N. pubescens, N. nouchali, B. monnieri, Nymphoides hydrophylla are used. Salvinia molesta and Eichhornia crassipes are the two aquatic plants commonly used as bio fertilizers. With reference to the questionnaire survey, there were seven major problems that were discovered to exist due to heavy infestations of aquatic weeds in the water bodies viz., sedimentation and unsuitability for domestic use, interference with navigation, effects on fisheries, blocking irrigation canals and evapotranspiration. The most problematic plants in the Anuradhapura District include E. crassipes, N. nucifera, S. molesta, Pistia stratiotes and Ceratophyllum demersum. Economically important aquatic plants available in the shallow water bodies of the Anuradhapura District, are marginally utilized, when compared with the utilization of aquatic plants in the global scenario. There appears to be a lack of a well organized action plan to cope with this situation. The public suffer a lot from the problems created by the heavy mass of aquatic plants, which covered the village tanks. The public are, however, willing to get organized and to engage in a participatory approach to restore their water bodies. There is a need for research and development of management strategies for the sustainable utilization of these valuable resources. Awareness programs should be conducted to promote sustainable utilization of aquatic plants. Creating awareness among the people about the nutritional and economic benefits of these natural resources will be useful for Sri Lanka, as a developing nation.Length: pp.23-32Aquatic plantsTanks

Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus): A Review on Ethanobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nymphaeaceae), a perennial aquatic plant, has been used as a medicinal herb in China and India. It has been recorded in the most famous medicinal book in China for more than 400 years. Different part of plant (leaves, seeds, flower, and rhizome) can be used in traditional system of medicine. In traditional system of medicine, the different parts of plant is reported to possess beneficial effects as in for the treatment of pharyngopathy, pectoralgia, spermatorrhoea, leucoderma, smallpox, dysentery, cough, haematemesis, epistaxis, haemoptysis, haematuria, metrorrhagia, hyperlipidaemia, fever, cholera, hepatopathy and hyperdipsia. Following the traditional claims for the use of N.nucifera as cure of numerous diseases considerable efforts have been made by researchers to verify it’s utility through scientific pharmacological screenings. The pharmacological studies have shown that N.nucifera posseses various notable pharmacological activities like amti-ischemic, antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antiobesity, lipolytic, hypocholestemic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, antidiarrhoeal, antifungal, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and diuretic activities. A wide variety of phytoprinciples have been isolated from the plant. The present review is an effort to consolidate traditional, ethnobotanic, phytochemical and pharmacological information available on N.nucifera

The Therapeutic Potential of Nelumbo nucifera: A Comprehensive Review of Its Phytochemistry and Medicinal Properties

Nelumbo nucifera generally known as ‘sacred lotus’ is a plant with high medicinal value in traditional medicine system especially in Chinese medicine system which is having a wide distribution worldwide in Asian, Western European, American and Australian continent. All the parts of the plant have different medicinal value, as their extract contains various valuable chemical constituents which yield desired remedial effects against many diseases. The plant is used traditionally more compared to its commercial usage. It has also been used for dental and skin care products in many herbal formulations. In this review, data about its general description, its distribution, chemical constituents and therapeutic effects has been provided. The plant has various uses against many diseases and the review focus on anti-epileptic, antiviral, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anthelmintic, anxiolytic & antidepressant, anti-cariogenic, analgesic, hepatoprotective, vasorelaxant, anticoagulant, anti-obesity, anti-neurodegenerative, anti-aging, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties of the plant

Phytochemical profile and biological activity of Nelumbo nucifera

© 2015 Keshav Raj Paudel and Nisha Panth. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae) is a potential aquatic crop grown and consumed throughout Asia. All parts of N. nucifera have been used for various medicinal purposes in various systems of medicine including folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. Many chemical constituents have been isolated till the date. However, the bioactive constituents of lotus are mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Traditionally, the whole plant of lotus was used as astringent, emollient, and diuretic. It was used in the treatment of diarrhea, tissue inflammation, and homeostasis. The rhizome extract was used as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of asteroidal triterpenoid. Leaves were used as an effective drug for hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia. Flowers were used to treat diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia. In traditional medicine practice, seeds are used in the treatment of tissue inflammation, cancer and skin diseases, leprosy, and poison antidote. Embryo of lotus seeds is used in traditional Chinese medicine as Lian Zi Xin, which primarily helps to overcome nervous disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and arrhythmia). Nutritional value of lotus is as important as pharmaceutical value. These days' different parts of lotus have been consumed as functional foods. Thus, lotus can be regarded as a potential nutraceutical source

A INTACT REVIEW ON NELUMBO NUCIFERA W.S.R TO ITS THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Last few decades have again shown a notable interest in herbal products for food or in medicinal aspect, the reason behind this is the increasing awareness about the limitations of the synthetic agents. Kamal is a well known plant in ancient medical sciences. It is extensively described in almost all Samhitas and Nighantus of Ayurveda, which reflects its great medicinal value. It has been used extensively by Ayurvedic Physicians for centuries to treat a wide variety of disorders. It is edible used for food and medicine both. Kamal is Nelumbo nucifera Grertn (syn. Nelumbium speciosum Willd.; Nymphaea nelumbo Linn.) of Nelumbonaceae family. It is a perennial aquatic herb bearing the famous red lotus flowers. It has miraculous cooling effect and anti-haemorrhagic property. Its flowers contain robinin an glucoside. Leaves contains nuciferine an alkaloid, asmilobine & irinidine. Root contain isoliensinine neferine, seed contains armeparine. The different part contains different chemical constituents which enhance its medicinal value in different diseases. This article review the Ayurvedic literature, traditional uses, phytochemistry & therapeutic reports on different parts of N. nucifera. The review also describes various compound isolated from different parts of this plant & the therapeutic benefits derived from those phytoconstituents

EVALUATION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY AND CYTOTOXICITY OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF NELUMBO NUCIFERA GAERTN ON HUMAN NEUROBLASTOMA CELL LINE (SH-SY5Y)

Objective: Cognitive deterioration occurring in patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease is associated with a progressive loss of cholinergic neuronsand a consequent decline in levels of acetylcholine in the brain. This study aimed to evaluate the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory effects andcytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells of different parts of three lotus extracts.Methods: AChE activity was quantified by spectrophotometry and cytotoxicity by flow 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromideassay in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to extracts.Results: All of the extracts had inhibitory effects to AChE at p<0.05, but Roseum Plenum stem extract could inhibit AChE more than 30% (p<0.05). Theall of the extracts could be an increase SH-SY5Y cell proliferation, while Album Plenum flower extract could be cytotoxic on SH-SY5Y cells.Conclusion: The extracts of lotus could be supplemented compound for cognitive deterioration or Alzheimer’s patients

LC/MS Guided Isolation of Alkaloids from Lotus Leaves by pH-Zone-Refining Counter-Current Chromatography

The traditional methods used in natural product separation primarily target the major components and the minor components may thus be lost during the separation procedure. Consequently, it’s necessary to develop efficient methods for the preparative separation and purification of relatively minor bioactive components. In this paper, a LC/MS method was applied to guide the separation of crude extract of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) leaves whereby a minor component was identified in the LC/MS analysis. Afterwards, an optimized pH-zone-refining CCC method was performed to isolate this product, identified as N-demethylarmepavine. The separation procedure was carried out with a biphasic solvent system composed of hexane-ethyl acetate-methyl alcohol-water (1:6:1:6, v/v) with triethylamine (10 mM) added to the upper organic phase as a retainer and hydrochloric acid (5 mM) to the aqueous mobile phase eluent. Two structurally similar compounds – nuciferine and roemerine – were also obtained from the crude lotus leaves extract. In total 500 mg of crude extract furnished 7.4 mg of N-demethylarmepavine, 45.3 mg of nuciferine and 26.6 mg of roemerine with purities of 90%, 92% and 96%, respectively. Their structures were further identified by HPLC/ESI-MSn, FTICR/MS and the comparison with reference compounds

Mechanical Character of Typica1 Plant Leaf Surfaces

The hardness of typical plant leaves surfaces was investigated and analyzed by nano-hardness tester. Results show that the mechanical character of varied texture and varied surface morphologies shows regularity. The hardness of coriaceous fresh leaves (Bambusa phyllostachys pubescens etc.) and ligneous leaves is great. Waxiness leaves′ hardness (such as Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, Canna indica Linn (generalis) is little. The hardness of convex morphology part is better than that of concave morphology part on non-smooth morphology leaf surfaces. And that the hardness of surface layer is better than that of internal layer in the same leaf. This study may be important biological foundation for design and fabrication of bionic engineering surface and composite materials. Key words: engineering bionic; plant leaf; hardness; mechanical characte