Semen Nelumbinis (Lianzi)

Naming
Lian Zi (Semen Nelumbinis)-Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)

Origin

The ripe seeds of the perennial herbaceous plant Nelumbo uncifera Gaertn. of the family Nymphaeace phaeaceae.

Location

Hunan, Fujian and Jiangsu provinces in China.

Harvest
Plucked in autumn, sun-dried.

The actual smell and taste
Slight smell, sweet, astringent.

Best quality
Full and big.

Processing
Unprocessed.

Property
Sweet, astringent, neutral; spleen, kidney and heart meridians entered.

Actions
Tonify spleen to check diarrhea, tonify kidney and secure essence, stop leukorrhagia, nourish heart and induce tranquilization.

Indications
A. Diarrhea and dysentery due to spleen deficiency
It is a good herb for diarrhea and dysentery due to spleen deficiency, because it can both tonify spleen qi and astringe intestine to check diarrhea. For chronic diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, anorexia, it could be applied singly or combined with spleen and qi tonics. For instance, it is used with Radix Codonopsis (Dangshen), Poria (Fuling), Rhizoma Dioscoreae (Shanyao), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Baizhu), in the formula Shen Ling Bai Zhu San from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang.

B. Seminal Emission, and spermatorrhea
It can tonify kidney to secure essence. For seminal emission and spermatorrhea due to kidney deficiency and insecurity of essence gate, it is combined with kidney and essence astringing herbs. For instance, it is used with Qian Shi and Long Gu in the formula Jin Suo Gu Jin Wan from Yi Fang Ji Jie.

C. Leukorrhagia
It is a common used herb for leukorrhagia due to spleen deficiency or kidney deficiency, because it can both tonify spleen, kidney, and stop leukorrhagia. For leukorrhagia due to spleen deficiency, it is combined with spleen-tonifying and damp-draining herbs. For instance, it is used with Fu Ling and Bai Zhu. For kidney and spleen deficiency, leukorrhagia, soreness and limpness of knees and lumbar, it is combined with kidney tonics and astringents. For instance, it is used with Fructus Corni (Shanzhuyu), Rhizoma Dioscoreae (Shanyao), and Qian Shi.

D. Palpitation, Insomnia
It is sweet, neutral and enters spleen, heart and kidney meridians. Therefore, it can tonify spleen and kidney, nourish heart to induce tranquilization. The seed of it can clear heart to relieve restlessness. For rcstlessness, palpitation and insomnia due to disharmony between heart and kidney, it is combined with tranquilizing herbs. For instance, it is used with Suan Zao Ren, Fu Shen and Yuan Zhi.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 10~15 g after being crushed. Ir is better to keep the seeds when treating restlessness due to disharmony between heart and kidney.