White Water Lily
The medicinal plant white water lily is commonly known as “odolén-tráva,” water lily, white lily, or white “kubushka” (not to be confused with the yellow “kubushka”). Dear friends and readers of the “Folk Medicine Recipes” blog! On this page, I want to tell you about the benefits of white water lily in traditional medicine. This healing herb is one of the most beloved plants among the people of Russia and the former Soviet Union. The white water lily has earned this love due to its many beneficial properties, which healers, herbalists, and folk medicine practitioners use to treat various ailments.
Description of the White Water Lily
The white water lily is a stemless, perennial aquatic plant with floating leaves. Its large, long-stemmed leaves have a heart-shaped oval form. The flowers are white, large, slightly fragrant, with numerous white petals and a green, four-leaved calyx. The white water lily grows up to 2.5 meters in height, with most of the plant submerged underwater. It is widely distributed in Russia and other CIS countries, favoring slow-moving or still bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, calm rivers, and oxbow lakes.
Its milky-white, fragrant flowers beautifully bloom on the surface of the water.
Parts Used and Active Compounds
In folk medicine, the roots, rhizomes, flowers, and leaves of the white water lily are used for medicinal purposes. The above-water parts are harvested in summer (June and July) during the flowering period, while the underwater parts are collected in autumn. The plant material is dried and used to prepare medicinal decoctions and infusions.
The white water lily contains many beneficial active compounds, including complex alkaloids that have been well studied by scientists (nufacristine, nufarine, nufamine, thiobinufaridine, and its derivatives), flavonoids, high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and flavonoids. The plant also contains the alkaloid nymphaeine, which has a calming effect on the central nervous system and is used to treat various neuroses. The flowers contain essential oil and the glycoside nymphalin, which stimulates heart activity.
Medicinal Properties and Uses in Folk Medicine
White water lily flowers have sedative, analgesic, antidiarrheal, calming, antipyretic, and emollient properties. Healers recommend this plant for treating inflammatory processes of the skin, throat, and oral mucosa. White water lily preparations inhibit fungal growth, making them useful for treating fungal infections. The plant’s antibacterial properties are also used in treating some vaginal infections.
In Russian villages, an infusion of the flowers is used as a diaphoretic and fever-reducing remedy, as well as to quench thirst in fever patients. Villagers also use this infusion as a sleeping aid and sedative for insomnia. The active substances in the plant’s rhizomes help reduce skin inflammation. Since ancient times, people have treated radiculitis by applying crushed white water lily roots to the lower back. The application initially causes a burning sensation, followed by pain relief.
For toothache relief, folk medicine recommends placing pieces of fresh white water lily root against the cheek on the side of the aching tooth. An infusion of the flowers has an analgesic effect when used in baths. A long-boiled decoction (up to 2 hours) is used to remove freckles, acne, skin rashes, and sunburns.
Folk Medicine Recipes
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Pain relief: Pour boiling water over three tablespoons of dried or fresh flowers multiple times, wrap them in gauze, and apply to the painful area.
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Anti-inflammatory compress: Infuse three tablespoons of crushed leaves in half a liter of boiling water for 30 minutes. Use externally as a compress for skin inflammations.
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Cosmetic use: Steep two tablespoons in 500 ml of hot water for 20 minutes, then filter through double-layered gauze. Use to remove freckles, sunburns, and acne.
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Radiculitis treatment: Grind several roots of the white water lily through a meat grinder and apply as a compress to painful lower back areas.
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Sedative and sleep aid: Infuse two tablespoons of flower petals in half a liter of boiling water for 20 minutes, then strain. Take one tablespoon 3-4 times daily after meals.
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Diarrhea and neurosis treatment:
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Steep 5 g of dried flowers in 250 ml of boiling water for 20 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups per day.
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Boil 5 g of dried rhizome in one cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups daily.
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Treatment of sunburn, erythema, burns, cracks, and scratches:
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Soak a cloth (gauze) in the decoction described above and apply to the affected area 3 to 6 times a day.
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The white water lily is a powerful natural remedy with a long history of use in folk medicine. However, it should be used with caution, as some of its active compounds can have strong effects.
