Sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, is widely used as food and also in Ayurveda & Traditional Chinese Medicine. The perennial aquatic species grows 3-6’ tall in shallow water and is found extensively in Southeast Asia. Sacred lotus has cultural importance as spiritual a symbol in Buddhism, and also economic importance in horticulture. The plant contains bioactive compounds, and has been used for pharmacological purposes such as anti-oxidative, astringent, emollient, diuretic, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and hepatoprotective effects, among others. The species is reported to have hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, however the active components responsible for these beneficial properties and the mechanisms of action have yet to be elucidated. Sacred lotus leaves are rich in alkaloids, essential oils, organic acids, and flavonoids, especially quercetin. Researchers here report an investigation using bioaffinity ultrafiltration with multiple targets coupled with HPLC-MS/MS. Sacred lotus leaf extract significantly promoted the glucose consumption of HepG2 cells, and also exhibited inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, and COX-2. The authors also discuss a molecular docking study which revealed binding information between four ligands and three target enzymes.
