Nymphaea odorata/Nymphaea alba
Part Used: The fresh root
White Pond Lily is a perennial aquatic herb, grows to the surface of the water from a thick horizontal root-stock, stem absent, flowers growing on long peduncles and the leaves on separate petioles. It is commonly found in ponds and slow streams in eastern North America. The roots contain tannin, gallic acid and mucilage, starch, gum, resin, sugar, ammonia, tartaric acid, fecula, etc, The root is astringent, demulcent, anodyne, and antiscrofulous, used in dysentery, diarrhoea,gonorrhoea, and leucorrhoea externally. The leaves and roots have been used in form of poultice to boils, tumours, scrofulous ulcers and inflamed skin; the infusion is used as a gargle for ulcers in the mouth and throat.
White Pond Lily is an ntiseptic, astringent to mucus membranes, removes toxins from the tissue, not overly drying, styptic, demulcent, vulnerary - healing to skin wounds and ulcerative conditions, tonifying - improving tone and function, anodyne, anti-inflammatory - internally and externally. The root is alterative, anodyne, antiseptic, astringent and demulcent. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of TB, chronic bronchial complaints, diarrhoea, dysentery, gastrointestinal inflammation, gonorrhoea, vaginal discharge, inflamed glands, mouth sores and to stop bleeding. A poultice made from the roots is used in the treatment of swellings, boils, tumours, inflamed skin, vaginitis etc. It is also used as a douche for leukorrhea, treats diarrhea, bowel complaints, scrofula, inflamed tissues in various parts of the body, and for bronchial troubles. A tea made from the root makes a good gargle for irritation and/or inflammation in the mouth and throat, used as an eyewash, and a vaginal douche. As a lotion, it helps heal sores, makes skin soft and smooth. Both root and leaves are sometimes made into poultices for wounds, cuts, and bruises. Native Americans used root tea for coughs, tuberculosis (TB), inflamed glands, mouth sores, to stop bleeding.
References:
Botanical.Com. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/lilwhi26.html
Plants for a Future Database. http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Nymphaea+odorata
http://www.emedicinal.com/herbs/fragrantwaterlily.php
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