Water lily is snow-white – water lily is pure white

Perennial aquatic herbaceous rhizomatous plant of the Latate family. The leaves are long-petiolate, floating, entire, rounded-oval, 8-16 cm long; their blades often overlap. Flowers are bisexual, regular, large, with a quadrangular calyx base, multi-petalled; petals are white; slightly longer than the sepals, gradually turning into stamens; receptacle very depressed, purple, less often yellow, with a long conical central process of the peduncle. The fruit is berry-like, green, multi-seeded, its surface is covered with scars. Blooms in June – August; fruits ripen in August – September.

Spread. The plant occurs in stagnant and slow-flowing waters in Polissia and in the Forest Steppe.

Procurement and storage . Rhizomes, flowers and leaves are used to make medicines. The leaves are collected during the flowering of the plant, the rhizomes – from the beginning of the flowering of the plant until it cools down, pulling them out with a pickaxe or by hand with preliminary trimming with a knife. After cutting off the leaves, the roots and rotten parts of the rhizome are washed, cut into thin (3-5 mm thick) plates, which in turn are chopped into pieces 1-1.5 cm long, spread in a thin layer on paper or burlap, they are dried in the sun, and then dried under a tent, in the attic or in dryers at a temperature of up to 60°. The shelf life of dry rhizomes is 2 years. Raw materials are not released by pharmacies.

Chemical composition . The rhizomes contain alkaloid nymphein, tannins (up to 10%), starch (up to 20%); leaves – flavonoids (8-С-В-D-glucopyranoside of luteolin, myricitrin), tannins, oxalic acid; flower petals – flavonoids (glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin), cardenolide nymphalin; seeds — tannins (1.1%), cardenolide nymphalin, starch (up to 47%), fatty oil.

Pharmacological properties and use. In scientific medicine, the rhizomes are used as raw materials for the preparation of a mixture according to Zdrenko’s prescription, which is used for papillomatosis of the bladder, anacid gastritis, and stomach ulcers. In folk medicine, the plant is used to treat various diseases, including tumors of various etiologies. A decoction of the rhizomes is drunk for diseases of the kidneys and bladder, as a hemostatic, astringent and hypotensive agent, and for hair loss, it is used to wash the head. Chopped fresh rhizome is used instead of mustard seeds for neuralgia and myalgia. Purulent wounds are sprinkled with powder from the rhizomes; it is taken inside for diarrhea. A tincture of leaves is used for kidney stone disease, and fresh leaves (preliminarily crushed) are applied to inflammatory foci on the skin. Products from the flowers of the plant are widely used. An infusion of the petals is taken inside for fever, insomnia, increased nervous and sexual excitability, painful pollution, uterine bleeding and white hair, and the tincture is used for anemia, nervous and heart diseases. Tincture of petals is also used for rubbing with bronchial asthma, sciatica and rheumatism. Poultices of petals are used as a pain reliever for neuralgia and myalgia. Roasted seeds are known as a coffee substitute. Flour is obtained from dry rhizomes, which, after soaking in water and further drying, are used to prepare various dishes and bakery products. Fresh rhizomes soaked in water can be eaten boiled or fried. and the tincture is used for anemia, nervous and heart diseases. Tincture of petals is also used for rubbing with bronchial asthma, sciatica and rheumatism. Poultices of petals are used as a pain reliever for neuralgia and myalgia. Roasted seeds are known as a coffee substitute. Flour is obtained from dry rhizomes, which, after soaking in water and further drying, are used to prepare various dishes and bakery products. Fresh rhizomes soaked in water can be eaten boiled or fried. and the tincture is used for anemia, nervous and heart diseases. Tincture of petals is also used for rubbing with bronchial asthma, sciatica and rheumatism. Poultices of petals are used as a pain reliever for neuralgia and myalgia. Roasted seeds are known as a coffee substitute. Flour is obtained from dry rhizomes, which, after soaking in water and further drying, are used to prepare various dishes and bakery products. Fresh rhizomes soaked in water can be eaten boiled or fried. Flour is obtained from dry rhizomes, which, after soaking in water and further drying, are used to prepare various dishes and bakery products. Fresh rhizomes soaked in water can be eaten boiled or fried. Flour is obtained from dry rhizomes, which, after soaking in water and further drying, are used to prepare various dishes and bakery products. Fresh rhizomes soaked in water can be eaten boiled or fried.

Medicinal forms and applications .

Internally , a mixture of snow-white water lily petals and blood-red hawthorn flowers taken in equal amounts is prepared as an infusion (4 tablespoons of the mixture per 200 ml of boiling water) and drunk one tablespoon after 2 hours in case of heart failure.

Externally – an infusion of fresh petals (2 tablespoons of raw materials per 500 ml of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes, insist for 8 hours, strain) for washing the face with acne, sallow and as a remedy for sunburn;

three tablespoons of dry or fresh petals are wrapped in cheesecloth, dipped in boiling water, taken out and applied to the affected part of the body (as a pain reliever for neuralgia and myalgia).

Snow-white water lily is a poisonous plant . Overdose when taken inside is dangerous!