Pharmaceutical Name:

Semen Nelumbinis

Botanical Name:

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

Common Name:

Lotus seed

Source of Earliest Record:

Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

The lotus seeds are collected from August to September. After the skins of the seeds have been removed, the seeds are dried in the sun.

Properties and Taste:

Sweet, astringent and neutral

Meridians:

Spleen, kidney and heart

Functions:

To tonify the spleen and stop diarrhea
To reinforce the kidneys and control the essence
To nourish the blood and tranquilize the mind

Indications and Combinations:

1.     Palpitations, insomnia, and irritability.
*Use with Wild jujube seed (Suanzaoren), Arborvitae seed (Baiziren) and Poria with hostwood (Fushen).

2.     Kidney deficiency manifested as seminal emissions or leukorrhea.
*Use with Dadder seed (Tusizi), Dioscorea (Shanyao) and Euryale seed (Qianshi).

3.      Chronic diarrhea due to deficiency of the spleen.
*Use with White atractylodes (Baizhu), Dioscorea (Shanyao) and Poria (Fuling).

Dosage:

6-12 g

Cautions:

This herb is contraindicated in cases with constipation.