Lotus Leaf Extract

 Do You Know About Lotus Leaf Extract?

Lotus leaf extract, also known as nuciferine, is an alkaloid extracted from the leaves of the lotus plant, a member of the Nymphaeaceae family. It belongs to the aporphine family and exhibits various biological activities.

Nuciferine from lotus leaf extract can regulate lipid metabolism, reduce fat absorption and synthesis, and promote fat breakdown, thereby lowering blood lipids and aiding weight loss. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

As the active ingredient in lotus leaves, nuciferine has a wide range of applications in medicine and health supplements.

YTBIO Offers 2% Nuciferine From Lotus Leaf Extract

Lotus Leaf Extract Nuciferine Has Multiple Physiological Regulatory Functions

Weight Loss Aid

Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, selectively inhibits digestive tract lipase activity, effectively reducing the digestion and absorption of dietary fat. It also activates fat metabolism pathways, significantly lowering serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and playing a preventive role in obesity and its complications.

Cardiovascular Health

Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, acts on vascular smooth muscle cells, producing vasodilation and improving microcirculatory disorders. Long-term consumption helps maintain blood pressure homeostasis and delays the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, offering protective value for individuals at risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

Neuroprotection

Experimental studies have shown that nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, can alleviate neurological deficits after ischemic brain injury. Its mechanisms involve multiple pathways, including blood-brain barrier protection, reduced cerebral edema, and upregulation of neurotrophic factor expression.

Clearing Heat and Removing Dampness

Traditional medicine believes that it has the properties of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, promoting diuresis and dispelling dampness, effectively alleviating symptoms of summer heat syndrome and improving tissue edema caused by abnormal fluid metabolism. Hemostatic Effects

Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, has shown a modulating effect on various bleeding symptoms caused by excessive blood heat, potentially achieving hemostatic effects by affecting coagulation factor activity and vasoconstriction.

Constipation Relief

It promotes intestinal motility, promotes bowel movements, and alleviates constipation.

Where Is Lotus Leaf Extract Nuciferine Used?

Medical Applications

Regulating Lipid Metabolism: Inhibits intestinal lipase activity, reduces fat absorption, promotes lipolysis, and regulates blood lipid levels. It is clinically used as an adjunctive treatment for hyperlipidemia, obesity, and related metabolic syndromes.

Cardiovascular Protection: Nephrine from lotus leaf extract has blood pressure-lowering and microcirculatory benefits, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. It is suitable for the prevention and adjunctive treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and hypertension.

Neuroprotection and Regulation: Regulates neurotransmitters such as 5-HT and GABA, improving neurological symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. It has a protective effect against cerebral ischemia and nerve damage.

Clearing Heat and Dampness (Traditional Chinese Medicine): Used for symptoms such as summer heat, thirst, and damp-heat diarrhea, it clears heat, relieves summer heat, and promotes diuresis and dampness removal.

Health Products

Weight Management Products: Nephrine from lotus leaf extract is often added to meal replacement powders, compressed candies, and teas to help reduce fat accumulation and promote metabolism.

Cardiovascular Health Products: Functional foods used to regulate blood lipids and blood pressure, such as capsules and solid beverages.

Cosmetics

Antioxidant and Anti-Aging: Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, scavenges free radicals and mitigates oxidative damage to the skin, making it suitable for anti-wrinkle and firming skincare products.

Anti-Inflammatory: Suitable for sensitive skin care products, helping to reduce skin inflammation.

Skin Oil Control: Regulates sebum secretion and can be used in oil-control cosmetics for oily skin.

Nuciferine From Lotus Leaf Extract: Improving Sleep And Protecting Nerves

With the ever-accelerating pace of modern life, insomnia has become a common problem, seriously impacting people's quality of life. According to statistics, approximately one-third of the global adult population suffers from insomnia. Lotus leaves contain a wealth of bioactive substances, among which nuciferine is one of the most abundant alkaloids. Studies have shown that lotus leaf alcohol extract can improve sleep. So, what are the effects of nuciferine from lotus leaf extract on sleep and what are its potential mechanisms of action?

The study found that lotus leaf extract, among the extracts from different parts, had the greatest sleep-inducing effect. HPLC-MS analysis revealed that its main active ingredient was nuciferine. Nuciferine significantly reduced spontaneous activity and sleep latency in mice, while significantly increasing sleep duration. The effect was comparable to the positive control, melatonin, in a dose-dependent manner.

Effects of lotus extracts from different parts (lotus leaves, lotus seeds, and lotus core) on sleep in mice

lotus leaf extract Nuciferine exerts its sleep-inducing effect by regulating neurotransmitters

Nuciferine increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and decreases glutamate (Glu), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE), achieving its sleep-inducing effect. An increased GABA/Glu ratio helps the brain transition from an excitatory state to an inhibitory state, promoting both sleep onset and deep sleep.

Pathway validation revealed that the sleep-inducing effect of nuciferine is influenced by the GABAergic nervous system antagonist picrotoxin and enhanced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HTP). This suggests that nuciferine may exert its sleep-inducing effect through both the GABAergic and monoaminergic nervous systems, involving multiple pathways.

Neurotransmitter regulation of nuciferine

lotus leaf extract Nuciferine exhibits anti-inflammatory effects

A mouse model of insomnia revealed significantly elevated levels of inflammatory factors in these mice. Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, improves insomnia symptoms by regulating inflammatory factors (including IL-1β and TNF-α) in plasma and brain tissue.

Nuciferine can regulate inflammatory factors

Nuciferine from lotus leaf extract protects brain neurons

Further experiments using c-fos immunofluorescence, Nissl staining, and H&E staining confirmed that nuciferine reversed the effects of decreased neuronal activity, abnormal neuronal morphology and number, and abnormal brain tissue structure in the brains of insomniac mice, demonstrating protective effects on brain tissue structure.

Experiments on the effects of nuciferine on insomnia mice

Nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, is a natural, safe, multi-pathway sleep aid. This study explored the sleep-inducing and neuroprotective effects of nuciferine, a natural active ingredient in lotus leaves. By regulating multiple neurotransmitters (increasing GABA and decreasing Glu, DA, and NE) while inhibiting inflammatory factors (IL-1β and TNF-α), nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, significantly shortens sleep onset time, prolongs sleep duration, and improves the hypoactivity and structural abnormalities of brain neurons caused by insomnia. The study also confirmed that its mechanism of action involves GABAergic and 5-HT neural pathways, demonstrating multi-pathway and multi-target properties. This research lays a theoretical foundation for the future use of nuciferine, a lotus leaf extract, in the treatment of other neurological diseases.

(Original article: 10.1016/j.fbio.2024.105345)

Precautions For Using Nuciferine From Lotus Leaf Extract

Safety Dosage

Nuciferine is relatively safe at standard doses, but excessive use may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Special Populations

Pregnant and lactating women, as well as those with liver and kidney dysfunction, should avoid use. Those taking lipid-lowering or hypoglycemic medications should consult a physician.

Source

Natural lotus leaf extract is more effective than synthetic versions. Pay attention to product ingredient labels to avoid contamination with other alkaloids. 

YTBIO has own factory and R&D team, dedicated to providing you with high-quality Lotus Leaf Extract Nuciferine and services. If you have any questions or needs, please contact us and we will respond to you as soon as possible.