Nymphaea alba and Nymphaea lotus are species of white water lily. Nymphaea alba is the European white water lily, whereas Nymphaea lotus is the Egyptian white water lily. However the flowers are distributed more widely than their name suggest, and the European white water lily is found in Europe, North America and parts of Asia for example. Both flower belong to the Nymphaeaceae, or water lily group of plants. Evidence suggests that white water lilies may possess mood enhancing effects due to the phytochemicals they contain. For example, the white water lily possesses the active alkaloids nupharine and nymphaeine which may act as sedatives. In one study researchers administered a crude extract of Nymphaea lotus to mice and observed their behaviour under conditions of experimental stress. The results of the study showed that the Nymphaea lotus extract caused a normalisation of markers normally associated with mood disorders in a similar way to the pharmaceutical drugs imipramine and diazepam.
The sedative effects of another species of water lily, Nymphaea capensis (the Cape Blue water lily) have also been evaluated in mice. Extracts of Nymphaea capensis were significantly effective at conferring sedative and anxiolytic effects on the mice. Water lilies therefore may share common phytochemicals that are able to cause mood elevating and sedative effects in animals. The Cape Blue water lily grows in Australia, and in tropical parts of Africa and North America. Image is of a white water lily (Nymphaea lotus). Image from: Public Domain, https:/ /commons.wikimedia.org/ w/ index.php?curid=1955588.
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