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Lobelia
(Lobelia
inflata)
COMMON NAMES: Bladder pod, emetic herb, emetic weed, gag root, Indian tobacco, vomit root, vomitwort, wild tobacco.
MEDICINAL PART: The plant.
DESCRIPTION: Lobelia is an indigenous North American plant found in pastures, meadows, and cultivated fields of the eastern U.S., as far west as Arkansas and Nebraska. Related species are found in other parts of the country. The erect, angular stem, growing from 6 inches to 3 feet high, is hairy and contains a milky sap. The thin, light green leaves are alternate, hairy, ovate, and bluntly serrate. Numerous small, two-lipped, blue flowers grow in spike-like racemes from July to November. The fruit is a two-celled capsule filled with small, brown seeds.
PROPERTIES AND USES: Antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant, nervine. In the past, lobelia was used particularly for its antispasmodic qualities to treat asthma and whooping cough, and also to induce vomiting. Externally, the plant can be made into a poultice for bruises, insect bites, sprains, felons, ringworm, erysipelas, and poison ivy irritation.
Lobelia reduces palpitation of the heart. It is fine in the treatment of all fevers, and in pneumonia, meningitis, pleurisy, hepatitis, peritonitis, phlebitis, nephritis, and porosities. Lobelia alone cannot cure, but it is very beneficial if given in connection with other measures, as an enema of catnip infusion morning and evening.
PREPARATION AND DOSAGE: Use professionally prepared medications under medical supervision only.
CAUTION: Although some herbal practitioners have sworn by lobelia as a harmless but effective panacea for what ails man, overdoses of homemade medicinal preparations have resulted in poisoning.
