Unani Name
Nilofer/ Full/ Chota Kanwal/ Kanwal Gattah
Common Name
Water Lily, Lotus, European white water-lily
Temperament of the Drug
(Cold 2° and Moist 2°)
Scientific Name/ Botanical Name
Nymphaea alba Linn. Synonym Nymphaea lotus Linn.
Parts used
Flowers, Seeds, Leaves, Roots, Filaments
Actions/ Therapeutic Uses
The pharmacological actions of the herb are Sedative (Musakkin-e- a’saab), Anti-bilious, Astringent, Cooling, Demulcent, Nutrient, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Anti pyretic (Daafa-e- humma), Resolvent (Muhallil), Cardiac tonic (Muqawwi-e- qalb) and Styptic (Haabis-ud- Dam). Mainly used in Polydipsia (Atash-e- mufrit), Fever (Humma), Hepatitis (Waram-e- Kabid), Khafqaan (Palpitation) and Migraine (Shaqeeqa).
Seeds are anti-bilious and astringent. Roots are demulcent, diuretic and nutritive. Flowers are cardiac tonic and refrigerant. Filaments are astringent and cooling.
The Root of the herb is specially indicated in piles, dyspepsia and diarrhoea. Its flowers are indicated in vomiting, cough, apoplexy, haemorrhages, giddiness, burning sensation, inflammatory ailments of brain. Its filaments are specially indicated in bleeding piles.
Important Formulations
Aftimooni, Sharbat-e- Nilofar, Halwa-e- Supari Pak, Arq-e- Murakkab Musaffi-e- Khoon, Sharbat-e- Deenar, Sharbat-e- Aijaz, Dayaaqoozah, Itrifal Zamani and Maa-ul- Hayaat.
Doses
Whole herb 3-7gms, Juice 10-20 ml, seed powder 3-6 gms, other parts 3-10 gms or as suggested by physician.
References
http://www.odishafdc.com/products_medicinal_plants.php
http://druginfosys.com/herbal/Herb.aspx?Code=418&Name=Nymphaea%20lotus%20Linn.&type=1
http://www.indiahomeclub.com/botanical_garden/medicinal_plants_uesd_in_ays.html
http://medicinalplantation.blogspot.in/2014/12/herbs-and-their-uses.html
http://medicinalpltsinindiamp.blogspot.in/2010/02/medicinal-plants-of-india-introduction_16.html
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=njLtCAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Hamdard_Med/Hamdard_Med_2013_55_3_73_78.pdf
