Is the leaf of lotus poisonous?

Toxicity of the leaves of the mountain lotus

As a medicinal herb, like most Chinese medicinal materials, the leaf of water lily is somewhat toxic, but it does not cause any harm to humans, and there is no problem in general cultivation. The flower tastes bitter and is spicy and warm in nature. The plant is poisonous and the rhizome is generally used as medicine.

Medicinal value

Just as most Chinese medicines are toxic, water lily is actually a very good Chinese medicinal material. It can have many effects such as removing blood stasis, disinfection, promoting blood circulation, and reducing swelling. It is often used in prescriptions for treating injuries, bruises, swelling and pain, rheumatism, muscle and bone pain and other diseases.

Although this flower is somewhat toxic, it is also a very useful detoxifying herb. If you are accidentally bitten by a poisonous snake in the wild, you can find water lily to help treat the injured. Mash the rhizome of the water lily into a paste or grind it into powder and apply it to the wound. It can perform simple preliminary detoxification and reduce swelling.

For girls, mountain lotus leaf is also a good conditioning herb. Taking it can effectively relieve irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, etc., and reduce the symptoms of abdominal pain.

Medicinal material processing

The rhizome of the water lily is generally used as medicine. This herb is usually picked in autumn. The rhizomes of the water lily are dug out of the soil, the damaged, sickly branches and roots are removed, the well-developed rhizomes are rinsed with clean water, and then dried and properly stored. It should be noted that when drying, it must be dried naturally in a normal place and cannot be dried directly in the sun, otherwise it will easily reduce the medicinal value of the mountain lotus leaves.