Scientists have unlocked the secret of the Egyptian "blue lotus"

Its petals have been found in legendary tombs, including Tutankhamun's tomb, and ancient frescoes and papyrus depict images of these unusual water lilies. For centuries, myths have revolved around blue lotuses that they contain psychoactive properties and were used in religious ceremonies.

However, today, in the age of the internet, there are many questions about this plant. For example, products that are sold as "blue lotus" online often have nothing to do with the true Egyptian species. This is exactly what Liam McEvoy, a student of anthropology and Egyptology at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), noticed. He decided to find out if commercial specimens really match the very lotus that grew on the banks of the Nile millennia ago.

The legend of the "psychedelic" flower

There is documented evidence that in ancient Egypt the lotus was used not only in religious rituals, but also in possibly intoxicating rituals. It was said that if you pour wine over the petals and let them infuse, the effect could be similar to mild hallucinations. These stories inspired many "researchers", but no one could say for sure if it was the kind of plant that sellers offer online as "blue lotus".

The search for the real lotus

McAvoy was determined to find an authentic blue lotus. However, it turned out to be rare in botanical gardens in the United States - the conditions under which it can grow are very specific. Luck smiled on the researcher on Reddit, where he found an enthusiast who sent him a viable specimen from Arizona. Experts confirmed that it was the same Nymphaea caerulea, and McEvoy then donated the plant to the Tropical Plant Garden at the University of California, Berkeley.

At the same time, he ordered "dried blue lotus petals" on Etsy to compare with the original through chemical analysis. Using mass spectrometry, it turned out that the "internet version" was almost devoid of the right compounds (e.g. nuciferin), which gives the famous "lotus effect". So, what is actively sold online is most likely another water lily without psychoactive properties.

Past, present and traces of wine

Ancient texts often mentioned lotus rituals, including festivals in honour of the goddess Hathor, where people were said to drink an infusion, fall into a trance and supposedly see divine images. McEvoy believes that the petals could not just soak in wine, but combined with special fats or oils for better extraction of nuciferin.

Now the scientist and his colleagues plan to carry out a deep chemical analysis (liquid chromatography) and check whether microscopic traces of lotus or oils remain on ancient cups in museums. If the hunch is confirmed, we will have new data about the rituals and culture of ancient Egypt.

Conclusions

1. True blue lotus is a rare and endangered species that is not easy to grow, and it is different from the so-called "blue lilies" sold online.
2. Chemical analysis revealed that the authentic plant does indeed contain unique alkaloids.
3. Ancient rituals may have involved complex extraction procedures rather than simple soaking in wine.