The Blue Lotus (aka. Blue Egyptian Lotus; Nymphaea caerulea) is a tropical aquatic water lily with striking blue flowers that open in daylight and close at night.
It has a long association with ancient Egyptian art and ritual, where it was valued for its symbolic, mystical and sensory qualities.
It is native to freshwater habitats in Africa, with a natural range extending through much of eastern Africa and into parts of southern Arabia.
The plant has had several practical and cultural uses: its flowers were used in funerary and ritual contexts, as ornamental pond plants, and in perfumes and aromatherapy; its petals were placed on mummies and used in offerings. In some regions, the rhizome was also eaten, including raw or in curries, while commercial products today may appear as teas, resins, powders, oils, and liquids.
➡️ In traditional medicine, The Blue Lotus has been used as a calming, sleep-supporting, and anxiety-relieving plant, and it has also been described as mildly stimulant and aphrodisiac.
Traditional reports also mention use for dyspepsia, diarrhea, urinary complaints, fevers, palpitations, inflammation, and insomnia.
Through scientific investigation, the plant or its major constituents have exhibited activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antinociceptive, antispasmodic, sedative/hypnotic, anxiolytic, aphrodisiac, dopaminergic, anticonvulsant, vasorelaxant, and anti-psychotic-like activity.
One study showed that nuciferine from blue lotus resin could be successfully aerosolized from a rebuildable dripping atomizer, suggesting inhalation may deliver its active compounds more efficiently than oral use. The same paper also found nuciferine in all tested products and apomorphine in some, helping explain why blue lotus preparations are marketed for sedative or psychoactive effects.