Herb Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

Ou Jie

Lotus rhizome node · 藕节

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. · Nodus Nelumbinis Rhizomatis

Also known as: Lotus Root Node

Ou Jie (Lotus rhizome node) plant

Images shown are for educational purposes only

Lotus rhizome node is a gentle stop-bleeding herb from the joint section of the lotus root. It is particularly valued because it can slow active bleeding while also helping to clear away old stagnant blood, making it useful for nosebleeds, coughing or vomiting blood, and heavy menstrual bleeding. Its mild and balanced nature means it is typically combined with other herbs rather than used alone.

Category Hemostatic herbs (止血药) Astringent herbs that stop bleeding (收敛止血药)
Therapeutic focus Bleeding Disorders Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Coughing and Vomiting Blood

TCM Properties

Temperature

Neutral

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Astringent (涩 sè)

Channels entered

Liver, Lungs, Stomach

Parts used

Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Herb Does

Every herb has a specific set of actions — here's what Ou Jie does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Ou Jie is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Bleeding Disorders Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Coughing and Vomiting Blood

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Ou Jie performs to restore balance in the body:

Astringes and Stops Bleeding Invigorates Blood and Dispels Stasis Stops Bleeding Without Retaining Stasis

How these actions work

'Astringes to stop bleeding' means Ou Jie uses its astringent quality to contract and tighten blood vessels and tissues, helping to slow and stop active bleeding. Its sweet and astringent taste gives it a binding quality that helps 'hold' Blood in its proper vessels. This action applies broadly to bleeding from the upper body (vomiting blood, coughing blood, nosebleeds) as well as urinary and uterine bleeding. The fresh juice is particularly good for bleeding associated with Heat, while the charred form (Ou Jie Tan) has a stronger astringent effect suited to deficiency-type or cold-type bleeding.

'Disperses Blood stasis' means that unlike many purely astringent stop-bleeding herbs, Ou Jie also gently moves stagnant Blood. This is an important quality because when bleeding occurs, old Blood can pool and clot in the wrong places, causing pain and further complications. As the classical text Ben Cao Hui Yan states, Ou Jie is "a herb that disperses stagnant Blood and stops reckless bleeding." This dual nature of stopping bleeding while dispersing stasis means it can be used even when bleeding is accompanied by Blood stasis, such as traumatic chest pain with blood-streaked sputum, or post-partum blood stagnation.

'Stops bleeding without retaining stasis' is the defining clinical advantage of Ou Jie. Many stop-bleeding herbs risk trapping old Blood inside the body by being too astringent. Ou Jie avoids this problem because its gentle stasis-dispersing action complements its astringent action. This makes it especially suitable for patients who are bleeding but also have signs of Blood stasis, such as dark-coloured blood with clots. However, its overall hemostatic strength is relatively mild, so it is most often used as a supporting herb alongside stronger stop-bleeding agents.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Ou Jie is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Ou Jie addresses this pattern

When Heat enters the Blood level, it agitates Blood and forces it out of the vessels, causing acute and often profuse bleeding from the upper body. Ou Jie enters the Liver (which stores Blood), Lung, and Stomach channels, giving it direct access to the most common sites of Heat-driven bleeding (the Lung produces coughing blood, the Stomach produces vomiting blood). Its sweet and astringent taste helps constrict and hold Blood in its vessels. Although Ou Jie itself is neutral in temperature and not strongly cooling, the fresh juice form does have mild Heat-clearing properties, and it is typically combined with cold-natured herbs like Sheng Di Huang and Da Ji when treating Blood Heat. Its unique advantage here is that Blood Heat often causes simultaneous stasis (Heat congeals Blood), and Ou Jie's stasis-dispersing action prevents trapped old Blood while stopping the active bleeding.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Hematemesis

Vomiting blood, often bright red

Hemoptysis

Coughing up blood

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds that are difficult to stop

Blood in Urine

Blood in the urine from Heat in the lower body

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Ou Jie is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Blood Heat causing Reckless Bleeding Blood Stasis with Bleeding

TCM Interpretation

Vomiting blood is understood in TCM primarily as a disorder of the Stomach channel. When Heat accumulates in the Stomach (from dietary excess, emotional stress generating Liver Fire that invades the Stomach, or febrile disease), it agitates the Blood and forces it upward against its normal descending direction, resulting in hematemesis. In other cases, physical trauma or chronic Liver Qi stagnation can create Blood stasis in the chest and abdomen, and when this stasis damages the vessel walls, bleeding with dark, clotted blood results. The Stomach's normal Qi direction is downward, so any pathology that reverses this flow or overheats the Blood can trigger vomiting of blood.

Why Ou Jie Helps

Ou Jie enters the Stomach channel directly, placing its astringent stop-bleeding action right at the source of the problem. Its sweet taste harmonises the Stomach while its astringent quality contracts leaking vessels. For Heat-type hematemesis, fresh Ou Jie juice provides mild cooling alongside hemostasis. For stasis-type hematemesis (such as post-traumatic cases), Ou Jie's ability to disperse stasis while stopping bleeding is its key advantage over purely astringent herbs. Classical texts specifically describe using fresh Ou Jie juice pressed with wine for traumatic blood-spitting with chest pain. Though mild in strength, Ou Jie addresses both the symptom (bleeding) and a common complication (stasis) simultaneously.

Also commonly used for

Hemoptysis

Coughing blood from lung conditions

Nosebleeds

Recurrent or acute epistaxis

Blood in Urine

Hematuria

Bleeding

Blood in stool from haemorrhoids or intestinal bleeding

Peptic Ulcer

Upper GI bleeding from peptic ulcer disease

Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis-related hemoptysis

Herb Properties

Every herb has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Neutral

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Astringent (涩 sè)

Channels Entered

Liver Lungs Stomach

Parts Used

Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Ou Jie — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

9-15g (dried, in decoction)

Maximum dosage

Up to 30g dried in decoction; when using fresh Ou Jie, up to approximately 60g can be crushed for juice.

Dosage notes

For heat-type bleeding (nosebleeds, coughing blood, vomiting blood from Lung or Stomach heat), use raw/unprocessed Ou Jie. Fresh Ou Jie crushed into juice is even more effective for acute hot-blood bleeding, and can be used at higher doses (up to 60g fresh). For chronic or deficiency-cold type bleeding, use the charred form (Ou Jie Tan, 藕节炭), which has stronger astringent properties but less cooling effect. Ou Jie is considered a mild hemostatic and is often used as a supporting herb rather than the main agent in a formula. It combines well with other hemostatic herbs depending on the bleeding site: with Bai Ji for Lung bleeding, with Pu Huang for urinary bleeding, with Di Yu and Huai Hua for intestinal bleeding.

Preparation

No special decoction handling required for standard use. When using fresh Ou Jie, crush or blend to extract juice and take directly (often mixed with a small amount of warm water or rice wine). For the charred form (Ou Jie Tan), stir-fry the dried nodes in a dry wok over high heat until the outside is blackened and the inside is yellow-brown, then sprinkle lightly with water to extinguish any sparks. Avoid using iron utensils during preparation, as tannins react with iron.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same herb can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Ou Jie does

Processing method

Clean lotus rhizome nodes are stir-fried in a dry wok until the outer surface turns charred black and the interior becomes yellow-brown (炒炭法). A small amount of water is sprinkled on at the end to stop further charring, and the material is then dried.

How it changes properties

Charring significantly enhances the astringent, stop-bleeding action while reducing the stasis-dispersing property. The charred form has a stronger binding and contracting effect on bleeding vessels. It loses much of its ability to cool Blood and move stasis that the raw form possesses. The temperature remains neutral but the overall action shifts heavily toward pure hemostasis.

When to use this form

Use the charred form (Ou Jie Tan) when the clinical priority is purely to stop bleeding, especially in deficiency-cold type bleeding such as chronic uterine bleeding from Spleen Qi failing to hold Blood, or chronic digestive tract bleeding in weak patients. Choose it over the raw form when there are no signs of Blood Heat or Blood stasis accompanying the bleeding.

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Ou Jie for enhanced therapeutic effect

Bai Ji
Bai Ji Bai Ji 10g : Ou Jie 15g

Ou Jie and Bai Ji together create a powerful hemostatic combination for Lung-related bleeding. Bai Ji is strongly astringent and has an affinity for the Lung, directly sealing damaged Lung tissue and blood vessels. Ou Jie contributes its gentle stasis-dispersing action, preventing the highly astringent Bai Ji from trapping old Blood in the Lungs. Together they stop bleeding more effectively than either alone while avoiding the complication of residual stasis.

When to use: Used for hemoptysis (coughing blood) from conditions like pulmonary tuberculosis or bronchiectasis. Especially appropriate when the coughing blood has both active bleeding and dark clots, indicating simultaneous Blood Heat or vessel damage with some degree of stasis.

Shu Di Huang
Shu Di Huang Sheng Di Huang 15-30g : Ou Jie 15-30g (fresh juice preferred)

Sheng Di Huang is cold, sweet, and bitter, and strongly cools the Blood and nourishes Yin. When paired with Ou Jie, the combination addresses Blood Heat bleeding from two angles: Sheng Di Huang cools the root cause (Heat in the Blood level) while Ou Jie astringes the symptom (active bleeding) and prevents stasis. Sheng Di Huang also nourishes the Yin fluids depleted by Heat and blood loss.

When to use: Used for acute bleeding from Blood Heat, such as nosebleeds, vomiting blood, or blood in the urine with signs of Heat (bright red blood, thirst, irritability, red tongue). Classical sources describe pressing fresh Ou Jie with Sheng Di Huang juice and taking it with warm wine.

Ce Bai Ye
Ce Bai Ye 1:1 (Ce Bai Ye 10-15g : Ou Jie 10-15g)

Ce Bai Ye (Platycladus leaf) is cool and astringent, specialising in cooling Blood and stopping bleeding from the upper body. Paired with Ou Jie, both herbs share an astringent hemostatic action but complement each other: Ce Bai Ye contributes stronger cooling power while Ou Jie adds stasis-dispersing ability. The combination creates a balanced approach to Blood Heat bleeding that cools, astringes, and clears stasis simultaneously.

When to use: Used for coughing blood, vomiting blood, or nosebleeds from Blood Heat, especially when the bleeding is moderately severe. Often seen together as part of larger hemostatic formulas.

Ai Ye
Ai Ye Ai Ye 6-10g : Ou Jie Tan 10-15g

Ai Ye (mugwort leaf) is warm and enters the Liver, Spleen, and Kidney channels, warming the channels and stopping bleeding from cold-deficiency patterns. When combined with Ou Jie, the pair bridges two opposite bleeding types: Ai Ye warms the channels and stops cold-type bleeding while Ou Jie contributes its astringent and stasis-dispersing actions. Together they address uterine bleeding that involves both deficiency-cold and residual stasis.

When to use: Used for chronic heavy menstrual bleeding (崩漏) from deficiency-cold patterns, where the blood is pale and watery but may contain dark clots. The charred form of Ou Jie (Ou Jie Tan) is preferred for this pairing.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Bai Ji
Ou Jie vs Bai Ji

Both Ou Jie and Bai Ji are astringent stop-bleeding herbs, but they differ significantly in strength and focus. Bai Ji is strongly astringent, sticky, and specifically targets Lung and Stomach bleeding. It physically seals damaged tissue and promotes wound healing. Ou Jie is much milder in hemostatic strength and is typically used as a supporting herb. However, Ou Jie has the unique advantage of dispersing Blood stasis while stopping bleeding, whereas Bai Ji's strong astringency can potentially trap stasis. Choose Bai Ji when strong hemostasis is the priority (active Lung hemorrhage); choose Ou Jie when bleeding is accompanied by stasis and a gentler approach is needed.

Xian He Cao
Ou Jie vs Xian He Cao

Both herbs are astringent hemostatics with a neutral or mild temperature, making them versatile for bleeding regardless of Heat or Cold. Xian He Cao (agrimony) is significantly stronger in hemostatic power and can be used as a primary stop-bleeding herb for virtually any type of bleeding. It also has supplementary Qi-tonifying effects. Ou Jie is weaker and usually plays a supporting role, but it has a stasis-dispersing quality that Xian He Cao lacks. When bleeding involves clear Blood stasis (dark blood with clots), Ou Jie adds value that Xian He Cao does not.

San Qi
Ou Jie vs San Qi

San Qi (notoginseng) is the premier herb that both stops bleeding and disperses stasis, sharing Ou Jie's defining characteristic of 'stopping bleeding without retaining stasis.' However, San Qi is far more potent in both actions and can serve as a primary hemostatic agent. San Qi is also warm in nature and enters the Liver and Stomach channels. Ou Jie is much milder and more affordable, suitable as a dietary-level adjunct or supporting herb. Choose San Qi for serious or acute bleeding with significant stasis; choose Ou Jie as a gentle supportive agent or when San Qi is unavailable.

Identity & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Ou Jie

Ou Jie is the node portion of the lotus rhizome, while common lotus root (the fleshy internode portion) is often confused with it. The node is denser, harder, more fibrous, and has stronger hemostatic properties than the softer, starchy internode flesh. When purchasing, ensure the material consists of the true node sections (with visible root marks and a swollen joint), not simply sliced lotus root. Lotus root is a food, while Ou Jie is the specifically medicinal part. In charred form (Ou Jie Tan), verify that the exterior is truly blackened while the interior remains yellow-brown, indicating proper processing rather than simple burning or incomplete charring.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any herb.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Ou Jie

Non-toxic

Contraindications

Situations where Ou Jie should not be used or requires extra caution

Caution

People with Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold (cold constitution with weak digestion) should use raw/fresh Ou Jie with caution, as it has a slightly cooling quality when unprocessed. The charred form (Ou Jie Tan) is more appropriate for cold-type bleeding.

Caution

Women during menstruation or with cold-type dysmenorrhea should avoid raw Ou Jie, as its astringent and cooling properties may worsen symptoms.

Caution

Avoid contact with iron vessels during preparation, as tannins in Ou Jie can react with iron to form undesirable compounds that alter the herb's properties.

Caution

Ou Jie is a mild, supportive hemostatic herb. For severe or acute hemorrhage, it should not be relied upon as the sole treatment and must be combined with stronger hemostatic herbs or used alongside emergency medical care.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Ou Jie is generally considered a mild and gentle herb. However, its astringent properties can contract tissues, and some traditional sources advise pregnant women to use it with caution. While it is not as strongly contraindicated as Blood-moving or uterus-stimulating herbs, pregnant women should only take it under practitioner guidance and with a clear clinical indication.

Breastfeeding

No specific contraindications have been documented for breastfeeding. Ou Jie is a food-grade herb widely consumed as part of lotus root in the diet across East Asia. At standard medicinal doses, it is generally considered safe during breastfeeding. As with all herbs during lactation, practitioner guidance is recommended.

Children

Ou Jie is a mild, non-toxic herb and is generally suitable for children at reduced dosages. The classical formula recorded in the Quan You Xin Jian specifically used it for children with bloody stools. For children, reduce the dose proportionally by age and body weight (roughly one-third to one-half of the adult dose for school-age children). Fresh juice can also be used in small amounts. As with all herbs for children, practitioner supervision is advised.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Ou Jie

Ou Jie contains significant amounts of tannins, which can bind to and precipitate various pharmaceutical compounds, potentially reducing their absorption. Based on documented pharmacological considerations:

  • Iron supplements and ferrous salt preparations: Tannins chelate iron, reducing absorption of both the herb and the iron supplement. Separate administration by at least 2 hours.
  • Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications (e.g. warfarin, aspirin): As Ou Jie has hemostatic (blood-stopping) properties, it may theoretically counteract anticoagulant therapy. Patients on blood thinners should consult their physician before using this herb.
  • Antibiotics, alkaloid-based drugs, and glycoside medications: Tannins can form precipitates with these compounds, potentially reducing their effectiveness. Avoid concurrent administration.
  • Isoniazid (anti-tuberculosis drug): May cause decomposition and loss of efficacy when combined with tannin-containing herbs.
  • Enzyme preparations: Tannins may alter the protein structure of enzyme-based medications, reducing or eliminating their activity.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Ou Jie

When taking Ou Jie for bleeding conditions, avoid spicy, hot, and greasy foods which may aggravate Blood-heat and promote bleeding. Alcohol should also be avoided as it moves blood and generates heat. Cool, bland foods such as congee, winter melon, and mung bean soup are supportive. The lotus root itself is a traditional food and can be incorporated into soups and stews as complementary dietary therapy.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Ou Jie source plant

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (sacred lotus) is a large perennial aquatic herb of the Nelumbonaceae family. It grows from a thick, creeping rhizome rooted in the mud at the bottom of ponds, lakes, and slow-moving waterways. The rhizome is fleshy and segmented, with enlarged internodes containing many longitudinal air channels, connected by slightly swollen nodes from which fibrous roots and leaf stalks emerge.

Leaves are large, circular, and peltate (shield-shaped), measuring 25 to 90 cm in diameter, with a distinctive waxy surface that causes water to bead and roll off. Petioles are very long and may bear small prickles. Flowers are solitary, large (10 to 25 cm in diameter), fragrant, and range from white to deep pink. The fruit receptacle (lotus pod) is large, top-shaped, and spongy, containing 10 to 30 hard, ovoid nutlike seeds embedded in separate cavities.

The medicinal part Ou Jie (藕节) is specifically the node or joint portion of the rhizome, where one segment connects to the next. These nodes are denser and more fibrous than the fleshy internodes, and are cut away, cleaned of rootlets, and dried for medicinal use.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Ou Jie is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Autumn, winter, or early spring, when the lotus rhizome is dug up from pond mud. The node portions are cut away, cleaned of rootlets, and sun-dried.

Primary growing regions

Ou Jie is primarily produced in Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces, which are considered its traditional high-quality (dao di) production areas. It is also cultivated widely in Hubei, Hunan, Shandong, Henan, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Hebei. The lotus plant thrives in shallow ponds, lakes, and paddy-like fields throughout central and southern China, and is farmed on over 40,000 hectares nationally as both a food and medicinal crop.

Quality indicators

Good quality dried Ou Jie nodes are short cylindrical segments, 2 to 4 cm long and about 2 cm in diameter, with a slightly swollen middle. The surface should be grayish-yellow to grayish-brown. The node portion should appear dark brownish-black, while the residual rhizome ends on either side should be lighter. Remnants of fibrous rootlets or root marks should be visible, along with occasional dark reddish-brown scale leaf bases. The cross-section should reveal 7 to 9 large, clearly defined round air holes of varying sizes. The texture should be hard and not easy to break. It should be lightweight, with little to no odor and a mildly sweet, astringent taste. Avoid pieces that are excessively muddy, soft, moldy, or worm-eaten.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Ou Jie and its therapeutic uses

《本草纲目》(Ben Cao Gang Mu) by Li Shizhen

Original: 藕节止血。
Translation: Lotus rhizome node stops bleeding.

《本草汇言》(Ben Cao Hui Yan)

Original: 藕节，消瘀血，止血妄行之药也。
Translation: Ou Jie is a substance that disperses stagnant blood and stops reckless movement of blood.

《医林纂要》(Yi Lin Zuan Yao)

Original: 藕节，止吐、衄、淋、痢诸血证。甘能补，涩能敛散固精，又取其通而有节也。
Translation: Ou Jie stops bleeding in various conditions including vomiting blood, nosebleed, bloody urine, and bloody dysentery. Its sweet taste nourishes, its astringent taste restrains and secures. Its therapeutic quality also derives from being 'open yet having joints' (through-flowing yet able to restrain).

《本草纲目拾遗》(Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi)

Original: 藕节粉，开膈，补腰肾，和血脉，散一切瘀血，生一切新血；产后及吐血者食之尤佳。
Translation: Ou Jie powder opens the diaphragm, supplements the lumbar region and Kidneys, harmonizes the blood vessels, disperses all stagnant blood and generates fresh blood. It is especially good for postpartum women and those who vomit blood.

《药性论》(Yao Xing Lun)

Original: 捣汁，主吐血不止，口鼻并皆治之。
Translation: Crush to extract juice. It mainly treats incessant vomiting of blood, and bleeding from the mouth and nose.

《日华子本草》(Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao)

Original: 解热毒，消瘀血、产后血闷。
Translation: Resolves heat toxins, disperses stagnant blood, and relieves postpartum blood stagnation and oppression.

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Ou Jie's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Ou Jie's earliest medicinal references appear in the Tang dynasty text Yao Xing Lun (Treatise on the Properties of Medicines), which records its use for stopping vomiting of blood and nosebleeds. The lotus plant itself (lian, 莲) was listed in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as an upper-grade herb, and over the centuries its various parts (rhizome, leaf, seed, embryo, stamen, receptacle, and stem) each developed distinct medicinal identities. Li Shizhen in the Ben Cao Gang Mu famously noted that the lotus rhizome is a "spiritual root" (灵根) and carefully distinguished the actions of each plant part. He specifically attributed hemostatic properties to the node portion.

The name "Ou Jie" literally means "lotus rhizome node" (藕 = lotus root/rhizome, 节 = node/joint). Classical physicians valued the node specifically because of its structural quality of being "open yet contained" (通而有节): the lotus rhizome is hollow with through-flowing channels, yet the node constricts and connects segments, which was seen as a physical metaphor for its ability to allow blood to flow freely while restraining reckless bleeding. This concept of "stopping bleeding without causing stagnation" (止血不留瘀) became a hallmark of Ou Jie's clinical identity, distinguishing it from purely astringent hemostatics.

The herb also has deep cultural significance. The lotus is revered throughout East Asian culture as a symbol of purity (rising from muddy water yet remaining clean), famously celebrated in Zhou Dunyi's Song dynasty essay Ai Lian Shuo (On the Love of the Lotus). This symbolism extends to medicine, where classical physicians noted that lotus root, growing in murky water yet staying clean, has the ability to clear "turbidity" and "stagnant impurities" from the blood.

Modern Research

4 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Ou Jie

1

Anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity effects of lotus root extract (in vivo and in vitro study, 2014)

You JS, Lee YJ, Kim KS, Kim SH, Chang KJ. Nutrition Research, 2014, 34(3), p. 258-267.

This study found that an ethanol extract of Nelumbo nucifera root showed anti-fat-accumulation effects in human fat cell precursors and reduced body weight, fat tissue, and oxidative stress markers in rats fed a high-fat diet. It suggests lotus root may have potential as a functional food for metabolic health.

Link
2

Polyphenolic extract of lotus root alleviates hepatic steatosis in diabetic mice (preclinical study, 2011)

Tsuruta Y, Nagao K, Kai S, Tsuge K, Yoshimura T, Koganemaru K, Yanagita T. Lipids in Health and Disease, 2011, 10:202.

A polyphenol-rich extract from lotus root (edible rhizome) reduced fat accumulation in the liver of obese diabetic mice. Tannins in lotus root suppressed fat-producing enzyme activity, suggesting a possible role in managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Link
3

Immunomodulatory activity of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome extract (preclinical study, 2010)

Mukherjee D, Khatua TN, Venkatesh P, Saha BP, Mukherjee PK. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 2010, 32(3), p. 466-472.

A standardized rhizome extract containing betulinic acid stabilized red blood cell membranes, protected mast cells from degranulation, reduced nitric oxide production, and decreased expression of immune activation markers on macrophages, suggesting anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory potential.

PubMed
4

Anti-inflammatory activity of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome (preclinical study, 1997)

Mukherjee PK, Saha K, Das J, Pal M, Saha BP. Planta Medica, 1997, 63(4), p. 367-369.

The methanol extract of lotus rhizome, containing the triterpenoid betulinic acid, showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in rat paw edema models induced by carrageenan and serotonin, supporting traditional use for inflammatory conditions.

Link

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.