English: Lotus Flower Stamens
Ayurvedic: Nelum Renu
Latin: Nelumbo Nucifera

Nelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy, water lily-like flowers commonly known as lotus or sacred lotus. There are two species in the genus:
• Nelumbo nucifera – or "Sacred Lotus," is the well-known national flower of India. Also know as blue Indian Lotus, Indian bean or Sacred water lily for Hindu and Buddhism. Its seeds are widely used in Asian cuisine.
• Nelumbo lutea – American Lotus.

Nelumbo nucifera was native to a huge area from modern Vietnam to Afghanistan, being spread widely as an ornamental and food plant. In 1787 it was first brought into horticulture in Western Europe as a stove-house water-lily under the patronage of Joseph Banks and can be seen in botanical garden collections where heating is provided. Today it is rare or extinct in the wild in Africa but widely naturalized in southern Asia and Australia, where it is commonly cultivated in water gardens.
For many centuries this plant has been used part of nourishment in Asia, China, Japanese, Pakistan and Indian cuisines. The flowers, seeds, young leaves, and roots are all edible. The Sacred Lotus has been used as part of homeopathy in Asia due to its remedial characteristics. Scientists have proved that Lotus roots are found to be rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, and manganese, while very low in saturated fat. In 1990 scientists proved that the liquid from Lotus seeds and new leaves can be used to minimize the fever and sugar level in the blood. The extracts gained from the seeds of new plants regulate the digestion system and help to stimulate the metabolic activities, as well as act as antioxidant. Lotus plant has become very popular ingredient of weight loss teas in Europe and America. American GNN laboratory using the cold extraction (specific extraction using the temperature of 27°C (80°F) that allows to keep the natural characteristics of the plant, vitamins and its aroma) gained Lotus extract that combined with other herbal ingredients created a formula that is the basis of Lotus100 weight loss pills. Currently the discovered formula is the most effective and harmless fight with weight problems. It is one of the most common means of fighting weight and improving the shape of the body, because the lost weight is not regained.

Reference:
Wood, C. E. Jr. 1999. The genera of the Nymphaeaceae and Ceratophyllaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 40: 94-112.

English: Cassia Seed
Ayurvedic: Aragvadha
Latin: Cassia Atrufistula

Cassia Atrufistula is blossoming plant originating in South Asia and grows from South Pakistan to South Sri Lanka. It is an upright-growing plant that can reach a height of more than four meters, with large, green leaves and yellow flowers. There are bout 100 different types of this plant, but only one is widely used in medicine. The pulp of the plant regulates the level of glucose in blood, is used against fever, bleeding, heart disease, arthritis and various nervous cases, as well as in case of congestion. It is a natural antioxidant. Over the past years the extracts from Cassia Atrufistula have been used in Europe and America as weight loss ingredients for teas and pills. Cassia Atrufistula already for thousands of years has been recognized by Eastern medicine.

Reference:
International Legume Database & Information Service (ILDIS) (2005) Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2007-DEC-20.

English: Guarana
Botanical: Paullinia Cupana

Guarana is native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee berry. Each fruit harbours one seed which contains approximately five times more caffeine as coffee beans.
Western civilization was introduced to this plant in 17th century. Researchers noticed in Amazone jungles that local civilizations were always carrying this plant with them and calling it the “Magic power”. Initially it was called the “Holy Plant”, then “Warana” as a result of which “Guarana” evolved. 
The berries are picked with hands, dried in the sun in a natural way. When boiled they can be used similarly to coffee beans.
The active ingredient of the plant possesses the same characteristics as caffeine. It is a natural source of energy. Using guarana extract the metabolic processes start to be more rapid, thus burning more calories than usual and therefore the body starts to loose the weight in a natural way. As a result of using guarana, the amount of fat cells decreases. It increases the physical stamina, gives energy, and improves the mood and memory. Excessive use of guarana (energy drinks or together with caffeine) may cause anxiety.
Guarana is used in sweetened or carbonated soft drinks and energy shots, an ingredient of herbal tea.

Reference:
Bennett Alan Weinberg, and Bonnie K.Bealer, The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug (New York: Routledge, 2001) 259-60
Sir Ghillean Prance, Mark Nesbitt (2004). Cultural History of Plants. New York: Routledge, 179
Bydlowski SP, et al. (1991). "An aqueous extract of guarana (Paullinia cupana) decreases platelet thromboxane synthesis". Braz J Med Biol Res 24 (4): 421–4.

English: Konjac
Latin: Amorphophallus

Konjac, also know as devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, is a plant of the genus Amorphophallus. It is native to warm subtropical to tropical eastern Asia, from Japan and China south to Indonesia.
It is a perennial plant, growing from a large corm up to 25 cm in diameter. The single leaf is up to 1.3 m across. The flowers are produced on a spathe enclosed by a dark purple spadix up to 55 cm long.
Konjac is vegetarian product consisting of jelly and fiber that is widely used in the cuisine of Asian population, as well as vegans. The plant creates the sense of fullness.
The dried corm of the konjac plant contains around 40% glucomannan gum. This polysaccharide makes konjac jelly highly viscous. Konjac has almost no calories but is very high in fiber. Thus, it is often used as a diet food.
In order to explain in more details we need to make a reference to world-wide used encyclopaedia Wikipedia:
A person using 1 gram glucomannan three times a day with a glass of water loses 2.5kg within four weeks. The research shows – these people were diagnosed that their level of cholesterol decreased by 23%. Glucomannan has high level of absorption. It minimizes the hunger without any by-effects.

Reference:
Wikipedia: Passaretti S, Franzoni M, Comin U, et al (1991). "Action of glucomannans on complaints in patients affected with chronic constipation: a multicentric clinical evaluation". Ital J Gastroenterol 23 (7): 421–5
Kaname Katsuraya, Kohsaku Okuyamab, Kenichi Hatanakab, Ryuichi Oshimab, Takaya Satoc, and Kei Matsuzakic (2003). "Constitution of konjac glucomannan: chemical analysis and 13C NMR spectroscopy". Carbohydrate Polymers 53 (2): 183–189

English: Fenugreek
Ayurvedic: Chandrika
Latinu valoda: Trigonella  Foenum

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a plant in the family Fabaceae. Fenugreek is used both as an herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed).
More than 3500 ago Ancient Egypt papyrus states that Fenugreek was used as medical treatment. This plant was also used for centuries in ancient India, Greece and Arabic countries.  Fenugreek is widely used as a cure for various diseases – it regulates the level of sugar in blood, decreases the hunger and improves the metabolic processes and liver operation. Contemporary medicine uses it as means of decreasing the level of cholesterol, regulate sugar levels etc. Scientific researches show that Fenugreek seeds split up to 15-20% of fat cells before they settle in the human body. Scientists are convinced that Fenugreek is one of the main tools to fight obesity. Fenugreek has become available in pills and is prescribed by doctors for alternative medicine as dietary food supplement in order to control the level of cholesterol, as well as sugar.

Reference:
Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, 2nd ed., (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1996).
Bruneton J. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. 2nd ed., (Paris: Lavoisier Publishing 1993).
Evans,W.C., Trease and Evans’ Pharmacognosy, 13th ed., (Philadelphia, Bailliere Tindall, 1989)