NATURAL SCIENCES

Journal of fundamental
and
applied researches

The antitumor and anti-inflammatory activitiesof Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus)

2014. №1, pp. 047-054

Kondratenko Elena I. - D.Sc. (Biology),Professor, Astrakhan State University, 1 Shaumyan Sq., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Rederation, condr70@mail.ru

Moustafa Salaheldin Abdelhamid - post-graduate student, Astrakhan State University, 1 Shaumyan Sq., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Rederation, dr_mostsalah8339@yahoo.com

Nelumbo nucifera is well known for its therapeutic properties. This review article summarizes some of biological activities and the pharmaceutical uses of Nelumbo nucifera. Some parts of Nelumbo nucifera such as leaf, seed, flower and rhizomes were mentioned in this review. Mainly ,the extracts of seed have hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities, the extracts of rhizome have an immunomodulatory activity and the extracts of leaf have antitumor activity. This review also presents different compounds (including, glycosides, triterpenoid, alkaloids, flavonoids, vitamins etc.) isolated from some parts of Nelumbo nucifera and their pharmaceutical uses. It was found that these compounds have also antitumor, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties. It is known that lotus germ oil has a high antioxidant activity due to its high content of phenolic compounds and tocopherol. This article also describes the different mechanisms through which the extracts of Nelumbo nucifera inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. The effect of the extracts of nelumbo nucifera on the immune system in experimental animals was mentioned in this article.

Key words: Nelumbo nucifera, hepatoprotective activity, antitumor activity, anti-inflammatory activity, proliferation of tumor cells