Lobelia inflata

A potent, acrid respiratory antispasmodic and nervine used in very small doses to relax smooth muscle, ease acute asthma or bronchial constriction, calm severe spasms, and relieve intense anxiety or neuromuscular tension. Strong, fast-acting, and effective but must be used with caution.

Lobelia is a powerful smooth-muscle antispasmodic used in extremely small, careful doses. It relieves respiratory spasms, easing dry, hacking, unproductive coughs with difficult expectoration and shortness of breath. It is useful for cough, cold, dry bronchitis, pleurisy, croup, whooping cough, pneumonia, and dyspnea, especially when symptoms worsen when lying down; small bedtime doses can reduce insomnia caused by respiratory tension. It benefits acute spasmodic asthma attacks when taken at onset, and low doses may reduce reliance on inhalers.

Lobelia also relaxes skeletal and neuromuscular spasms, helping with muscle rigidity, neuralgia, myalgia, and severe tension patterns. As a strong nervine and CNS sedative, it is reserved for cases where gentler herbs fail. It calms the sympathetic nervous system in individuals with severe anxiety, insomnia, tremors, multiple sclerosis, or seizure tendencies. It slows the heart rate, deepens respiration, lowers elevated blood pressure, and eases chest oppression.

Lobelia supports withdrawal from nicotine due to its lobeline content, which interacts with nicotinic receptors. Topically, poultices or washes reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling from insect bites, stings, sprains, strains, bruises, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, boils, and bunions. Compresses relieve itching from poison oak or ivy. Applied with clay, it soothes insect bites and inflamed tissues.

‍

In the early 1800s, Samuel Thomson used lobelia as a relaxant and “diffusive” agent that moved vital force outward and expelled waste, contrasting sharply with the bloodletting practices of conventional physicians. His use of lobelia led to prosecution and accusations of poisoning, though no fatal outcomes were attributable to the plant. The Eclectics later adopted it as a valued vital stimulant. Traditionally, it was used topically for bronchopulmonary conditions and internally in very small doses for cardiac stagnation and patterns marked by nausea, a broad flabby tongue, engorged tissues, shallow breathing, and a bruised feeling in the chest.

Lobelia inflata is an herbaceous perennial whose stems exude milky latex. Leaves are linear-elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm wide, arising basally or alternately along the stem. Inflorescences are typically racemes with bilaterally symmetrical flowers borne on twisted pedicels, causing the flowers to appear upside down. The tubular calyx and corolla have a five-lobed base, with the corolla forming a bilabiate structure—two lobes above and three below—in red, blue, or white. Connate stamens surround the style and extend beyond the corolla. The usually inferior two-chambered ovary matures into a many-seeded, two-valved capsule or a berry held within the persistent calyx.

Use with great caution and only in small doses. Avoid combining with asthma medications, narcotics, analgesics, sedatives, or steroids. Excessive intake—especially of seeds or dried herb—can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, cold sweats, headaches, respiratory depression, convulsions, or collapse. Lobelia induces vomiting before reaching a poisonous dose and is not considered fatal. Avoid while operating machinery. Limit topical use to small areas. Excreted via the kidneys.

Tincture
Fresh flowering herb 1:4 (70–95% alcohol)
Recently dried herb 1:5 (50% alcohol)
Dry seeds 1:5 (50–60% alcohol)
Dose: 5–30 drops in 2–4 oz water, up to four times daily for acute conditions.
Seed tincture 5–15 drops—use with caution.

Acetum Extract
Dry herb 1:5 ACV.
Topical use.

Tea
Not recommended due to difficulty regulating dose.

Topical
Fresh plant poultice, oil (alcohol-intermediary), tincture diluted with water as a liniment.

‍

Christa Sinadinos, David Hoffman, Bryan Bowen, all relevant CHSHS lectures.

‍