lobelia

Any of numerous plants of the genus Lobelia, having terminal racemes of variously colored flowers with a bilabiate corolla.

[New Latin Lobelia, genus name, after Matthias de Lobel (1538–1616), Flemish botanist and physician.]

Description

Lobelia inflata, also known as Indian tobacco, wild tobacco, pukeweed, emetic weed, asthma weed and gag-root, is native to North America and can commonly be found growing wild over much of the United States. Lobelia derives its name from Matthias de Lobel, a sixteenth-century Flemish botanist. The erect stem reaches a height of between 6 in (15 cm) and several feet. The many small blue flowers appear in midsummer and are visible through late fall. The stem is hairy, and the plant contains a milk-like sap.

Worldwide, there are more than 200 species of lobelia, growing predominantly in the temperate and tropical zones. Some species found at high elevations in mountainous areas of Asia and Africa may achieve a height of up to 15 ft (5.5 m). At the other end of the size spectrum, the dwarf lobelia (Lobelia erina) is sometimes cultivated as a small ornamental or hanging plant.

General Use

This powerful plant has the distinction of being simultaneously a stimulant (for the respiratory system) and a general relaxant. This unusual combination may help account for the remarkably diverse assortment of ailments for which lobelia is used.

To begin with, lobelia is commonly associated with the treatment of lung-related ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, coughs, pneumonia, colds and flu, and other upper-respiratory problems.

Perhaps not surprisingly, then, this well-established medicinal plant has a special relationship with the (also long-established) practice of smoking. In some Native American cultures, lobelia was smoked as a treatment for lung diseases, which presumably led early European naturalists to dub the plant Indian tobacco. Considering the plant's value as an overall tonic for the lungs, this practice stands in marked contrast to contemporary use of tobacco (which many Native American cultures also used) as a plant to be smoked. Even more intriguingly, lobelia is commonly used as an aid to stopping smoking, sometimes in combination with cramp bark. One of the alkaloids in lobelia, lobeline, has effects on humans similar to those of nicotine and can be helpful in treating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. These same properties may perhaps also explain the use of the plant to treat hangovers and alcoholism. Recent research, however, has questioned the usefulness of lobeline in smoking cessation programs; a German study published in 2000 concluded that lobeline "cannot be recommended" as a treatment for nicotine dependence.

More recently, lobeline has attracted the attention of researchers as a possible treatment for methamphetamine addiction. Lobeline appears to oppose the action of dopamine, a brain chemical that regulates movement and emotion, and that is released by the effects of methamphetamine on the brain. Although reports published in 2001 and 2002 are promising, this use of lobeline has not yet reached the stage of clinical trials in humans.

Some Native Americans also used red lobelia to treat both intestinal worms and syphilis. Among the Shoshone of the American West, lobelia tea was brewed and used for its emetic and cathartic properties.

Lobelia is also commonly used as an emetic (i.e., to induce vomiting). This latter fact makes an interesting connection with the ancient "doctrine of signatures," which holds that a plant's appearance offers clues to its use: Lobelia inflata has been said to have "stomachshaped" flowers.

Although it can be effective alone, lobelia is also commonly used in conjunction with other herbs. Among these are coltsfoot, ephedra, grindelia, lungwort, and skullcap.

In homeopathy, lobelia is used in ways similar to its herbal applications: more specifically, in cases of severe nausea, vomiting, asthma, emphysema, and dry cough, and in the treatment of heart disease (angina pectoris and cardialgia).

Externally, lobelia is used in connection with a variety of problems, including insect bites and poison ivy; bruises, sprains and arthritis; and ringworm.

Preparations

Lobelia is used both internally and externally, in various forms. The entire above-ground portion of the plant, including the seed pods, is harvested in late summer and fall, after it flowers. The leaves and seeds of the plant can be used to make a tincture. The dried herb can also be smoked or used as a tea. Prepared as a salve, it is appropriate for external use. All portions of the plant that are above ground are medicinally useful, including the stem.

Lobelia's chemical composition has been studied to a significant extent. It consists of various alkaloids (notably lobeline, as mentioned above), chelidonic acid, isolobeline, lobelic acid, lobeline, selenium and sulfur, among other substances.

Perhaps because of the plant's widespread and longstanding use for a diverse range of conditions, some of lobelia's pharmacological qualities have been investigated in the laboratory, including its action on the lungs and the antidepressant effect of a component isolated from the leaves known as beta-amyrin palmitate. A 1996 Russian study of 196 species of medicinal plants identified lobelia as being exceptionally high in chromium content, making it potentially useful for treating a chromium deficiency in humans.

Precautions

The effects of lobelia are unusually dose-specific; in other words, this plant can have widely varying effects—both in kind and intensity—depending on the amount taken. Herbal authorities differ markedly in their assessment of the plant's overall safety; some consider it relatively harmless. On the other hand, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings to consumers in 1993 and 1998 about the potentially dangerous side effects of lobelia, and the Australian government has declared it "unsafe for human consumption."

As with any medicinal herb, users are advised to consult with qualified health-care professionals before attempting any form of self-treatment. People using any form of medication should make sure that all their caregivers are aware of any herbs they may also be taking.

More specifically, women who are either pregnant or nursing should not take lobelia. The herb is contraindicated in cases of heart disease, pneumonia, shock, stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, esophageal reflux, diverticulitis, and high blood pressure.

Reports of toxic effects of lobelia in children have led American pediatricians to warn people against giving the herb to children as a treatment for asthma. This warning is particularly urgent in areas of the Southwest where folk medicines containing lobelia are frequently used.

Some writers also report that lobelia sap is highly toxic to livestock.

Side Effects

In small doses, lobelia can have a soothing, sedative effect. In larger doses, it induces vomiting. The plant's well-established use in connection with lung disorders is due, in part, to its expectorant effects.

In potentially toxic doses, lobelia produces nausea, pronounced weakness, sweating, speeding heartbeat (tachycardia), sensory disturbances and diarrhea. In some people, even very small doses can cause nausea and vomiting. Signs of an overdose of lobelia include profuse sweating, low blood pressure, convulsions, respiratory depression, paralysis, coma, and death.

Interactions

Lobelia has been reported to have adverse interactions with several groups of drugs. It may potentiate (intensify) the effects of medications given to control blood pressure. It interferes with the action of drugs given to control diabetes. Lobelia increases the risk of loss of potassium from the body (hypokalemia) if it is taken together with diuretics or corticosteroids. Aspirin and NSAIDs appear to increase the risk of toxic reactions to lobelia.

Resources

Books

Balch, James F., MD. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

Hutchens, Alma R. A Handbook of Native American Herbs. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1995.

Periodicals

Dwoskin, L. P., and P. A. Crooks. "A Novel Mechanism of Action and Potential Use for Lobeline as a Treatment for Psychostimulant Abuse." Biochemical Pharmacology 63 (January 15, 2002): 89-98.

Haustein, K. O. "Pharmacotherapy of Nicotine Dependence." International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 38 (June 2000): 273-290.

Mazur, L. J., L. De Ybarrondo, J. Miller, and G. Colasurdo. "Use of Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Pediatric Asthma." Texas Medicine 97 (June 2001): 64-68.

Miller, D. K., P. A. Crooks, L. Teng, et al. "Lobeline Inhibits the Neurochemical and Behavioral Effects of Amphetamine." Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 296 (March 2001): 1023-1034.

Subarnas, A., Y. Oshima, and Y. Ohizumi. "An antidepressant principle of Lobelia inflata L. (Campanulaceae)." Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 81 (July 1992): 620-621.

Organizations

Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health. 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 3B01, MSC 7517, Bethesda, MD 20892. (301) 435-2920. .

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740. (888) SAFEFOOD. .

Other

U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Illnesses and Injuries Associated with the Use of Selected Dietary Supplements. Washington, DC: FDA/CFSAN, 1993. .

U. S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Consumer, September-October 1998. Supplements Associated with Illnesses and Injuries..

[Article by: Peter Gregutt; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD]

Genus of toxic plants in the Campanulaceae family; toxins are pyridine alkaloids, e.g. lobeline; cause diarrhea, oral ulcers; include L. berlandieri, L. inflata (Indian tobacco), L. pratioides, L. purpurascens, L. urens.

Lo-bee'li-a. Showy-flowered herbs comprising about 375 species, popular for borders, wild gardens, and edging.

Description
Leaves alternate and simple. Flowers in terminal clusters, mostly spikes or racemes that are sometimes leafy, nearly always bracted. Corolla irregular, more or less tubular below, but split to the base, 3 of the lobes forming a lip, the other 2 erect or turned backward. Stamens united by their anthers into a ring around the style.

How to Grow
To prevent damping-off, start seeds indoors in late winter in vermiculite, and water from the bottom. Transplant in clumps to 2 in. (5 cm) pots, and set out when seedlings are the size of a half dollar. Does best in cool or dry climates but will endure southern summers if given good drainage and afternoon shade. Grows quite slowly.

Lobelia Erinus
Edging Lobelia . Erect or trailing, 3-8 in. (7.5-20.0 cm) high. Flowers-¾ in. (13-19 mm) long, typically blue on slender stalks. South Africa. Cultivars variously colored or with double flowers. Those with trailing stems are useful for hanging baskets. Hardy annual.

Lobelia
Lobelia erinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Campanulaceae Subfamily: Lobelioideae Genus: Lobelia L.
Species
See text.

Lobelia erinus

Giant Lobelias, Mount Kenya.

Lobelia (pronounced /loʊˈbiːliə/)^[1] is a genus of flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions.^[2] English names include Lobelia, Asthma Weed, Indian Tobacco, Pukeweed, and Vomitwort.

Some botanists place the genus and its relatives in the separate family Lobeliaceae, others as a subfamily Lobelioideae within the Campanulaceae. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group did not make a firm decision in this, listing the genus under both families.

Lobelia is probably the base form from which many other lobelioid genera are derived; it is therefore highly paraphyletic and not a good genus. For example, the Hawaiian species are part of a group including other genera that appear very different (see Hawaiian lobelioids). However, the group has not yet been studied adequately to rearrange the classification.^{[citation needed]}

Lobelia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Setaceous Hebrew Character.

The genus is named after the Belgian botanist Matthias de Lobel (1538–1616).^[2]

Contents 1 Selected species 2 Cultivation and uses 2.1 Medicinal use 3 References 4 Further reading

Selected species

Lobelia aberdarica R.E. & T.C.E.Fries (Kenya and Uganda) Lobelia anatina – Southwestern Blue Lobelia Lobelia anceps Lobelia appendiculata Lobelia assurgens Lobelia berlandieri Lobelia boykinii Lobelia canbyi Lobelia cardinalis L. (syn. L. fulgens) – Cardinal flower (Americas) Lobelia chinensis Lour. - simplified Chinese: 半边莲; pinyin: bàn biān lián (East and South Asia) Lobelia collina Kunth (Ecuador) Lobelia comosa Lobelia coronopifolia Lobelia deckenii Hemsl., 1877 (Eastern Africa) Lobelia dortmanna L. (Northern North America and Europe) Lobelia erinus L. – Edging Lobelia (Southern Africa) Lobelia flaccidifolia Lobelia flaccida Lobelia gaudichaudii A.DC (island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi) Lobelia gerardii Lobelia gibberoa Lobelia hypoleuca Hillebr. – Kuhiʻaikamoʻowahie (Hawaiʻi) Lobelia ilicifolia (syn. L. purpurascens) – Purple Lobelia Lobelia inflata L. – Indian Tobacco (Eastern North America)

Lobelia kalmii L. (Northern North America) Lobelia laxiflora – Sierra Madre Lobelia Lobelia leschenaultiana Lobelia monostachya (Rock) Lammers (island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi) Lobelia nicotianifolia Lobelia niihauensis H.St.John (islands of (Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi) Lobelia oahuensis Rock (island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi) Lobelia persicifolia Lobelia pinifolia Lobelia puberula Lobelia pyramidalis Lobelia rhombifolia Lobelia rosea Lobelia sessilifolia Lobelia siphilitica L. (Eastern and Central North America) Lobelia spicata Lobelia telekii Scwheinf (mountains of Uganda and Kenya) Lobelia tenuior Lobelia thapsoidea Schott (Southeastern Brazil) Lobelia tupa L. (Central Chile) Lobelia urens Lobelia valida Lobelia zeylanica

Cultivation and uses

Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants in gardens. These include Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower or Indian Pink), Lobelia siphilitica (Blue Lobelia), Lobelia fulgens and Lobelia erinus, as well as some hybrids.

Lobelia erinus, a South African annual plant that includes many cultivated selections in a wide variety of colours. They are grown in beds, large pots, window boxes and in hanging baskets. The plants are most often grown away from sunny hot southern exposures (northern exposure's in the southern hemisphere) in soils that are moisture retentive.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the lobelia symbolizes malevolence and ill will.

Medicinal use

Native Americans used lobelia to treat respiratory and muscle disorders, and as a purgative. Today it is used to treat asthma and food poisoning, and is often used as part of smoking cessation programs. It is a physical relaxant, and can serve as a nerve depressant, easing tension and panic. The species used most commonly in modern herbalism is Lobelia inflata (Indian Tobacco).^[3]

Extracts of Lobelia inflata contain lobeline, which showed positive effects in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tumor cells.^[4] Furthermore, lobeline can be modified to lobelane which decreased methamphetamine self-administration in rats.^[5] It therefore opens a perspective in methamphetamine dependency treatment.^[6]

As used in North America, lobelia's medicinal properties include the following: emetic (induces vomiting), stimulant, antispasmodic, expectorant, diaphoretic, relaxant, nauseant, sedative, diuretic, and nervine.

Because of its similarity to nicotine, the internal use of lobelia may be dangerous to susceptible populations, including children, pregnant women, and individuals with cardiac disease. Excessive use will cause nausea and vomiting. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women and is best administered by a practitioner qualified in its use. However, due to many undesirable side-effects, Mayo Clinic experts do not recommend the use of Lobelia for the treatment of any condition, including nicotine withdrawal.^[7]

Two species, Lobelia siphilitica and Lobelia cardinalis, were considered a cure for syphilis^[8].

Herbalist Samuel Thompson popularized medicinal use of lobelia in the United States in the early 19th century, as well as other medicinal plants like goldenseal.^[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lobelia

One species, Lobelia chinensis (called bàn biān lián, 半边莲 in Chinese), is used as one of the fifty fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.

References

1. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
2. ^ ^{a b} Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
3. ^ ^{a b} "Lobelia". EBSCO Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Review Board. January 2006. http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=2e7354b6-ae71-4dab-90df-c7026eb1c66f&chunkiid=111703. Retrieved on 2007-09-12. 
4. ^ Ma Y, Wink M (Sep 2008). "Lobeline, a piperidine alkaloid from Lobelia can reverse P-gp dependent multidrug resistance in tumor cells". Phytomedicine 15 (9): 754–8. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2007.11.028. PMID 18222670. 
5. ^ Neugebauer NM, Harrod SB, Stairs DJ, Crooks PA, Dwoskin LP, Bardo MT (Sep 2007). "Lobelane decreases methamphetamine self-administration in rats". Eur J Pharmacol. 571 (1): 33–8. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.06.003. PMID 17612524. 
6. ^ Eine explosive Droge : Textarchiv : Berliner Zeitung Archiv
7. ^ "Lobelia supplements: Can they curb nicotine cravings? - MayoClinic.com". www.mayoclinic.com. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lobelia/AN01877. Retrieved on 2009-02-10. 
8. ^ Guédon, Marie-Françoise (2000). Sacred Smudging in North America. Walkabout Press.

Further reading

Everitt, J.H.; Lonard, R.L., Little, C.R. (2007). Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press. ISBN 0-89672-614-2. 

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