Practical
Plants

Lobelia inflata

Indian Tobacco

an annual member of the Lobelia genus in the family Campanulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Lobelia
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Some reports say that the plant is poisonous[17][1][4], whilst another says that toxicity has not been established[2]. It contains the alkaloid lobeline which has a similar effect upon the nervous system as nicotine[12]. See also the notes below on medicinal uses.

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Indian Tobacco was a traditional North American Indian remedy for a wide range of conditions[10]. Nowadays it is used mainly as a powerful antispasmodic herb in the treatment of respiratory and muscle disorders[10]. Acting also as a respiratory stimulant, Indian Tobacco is a valuable remedy for conditions such as bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis[10]. The dried flowering herb and the seed are antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant and nervine[13][17][6][15][2][3]. The plant is taken internally in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough and pleurisy[9]. This remedy should be used with great caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner[17][6][2]. Excess doses cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and respiratory failure[9]. See also the notes above on toxicity. The plant contains the alkaline 'lobeline' which has proved to be of value in helping people to give up smoking tobacco[17][5][7]. It is contained in many proprietary anti-smoking mixtures where it mimics the effects of nicotine[9]. The alkaloids present in the leaves are used to stimulate the removal of phlegm from the respiratory tract[7]. When chewed, the leaves induce vomiting, headache and nausea - in larger doses it has caused death[7]. The alkaloids first act as a stimulant and then as a depressive to the autonomic nervous system and in high doses paralyses muscular action in the same way as curare[7]. Externally, the plant is used in treating pleurisy, rheumatism, tennis elbow, whiplash injuries, boils and ulcers[9]. The whole plant is harvested when the lower fruits are ripe and it is used fresh or dried[9].

Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Nervine

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant has been burnt in order to smoke out gnats[11].

Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Northern N. America - Labrador to Saskatchewan, Georgia, Kansas and Arkansas.
Habitat
Meadows, fields, roadsides, waste places and open woods[4][14]. Usually in dry soils[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 2 weeks.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in full sun or light shade[5]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a slightly acid soil[9]. Plants are usually annual, but are sometimes biennial[13]. This species is occasionally cultivated commercially as a medicinal plant[15][16].

References

  1. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩

  2. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  4. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

    ↩1↩2

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  6. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  7. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  9. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  10. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  12. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  14. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  16. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

  17. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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