Currently, lobelia cannot be recommended as an alternative treatment for conventional antidepressant medications. Lobelia may help manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD. Lobeline may relieve certain symptoms, including hyperactivity and difficulty focusing, by improving the release and uptake of dopamine in your brain 3 , 9. One study involving nine adults with ADHD noted that taking up to 30 mg of lobeline per day helped improve memory over 1 week.
However, the results were insignificant 3. Since lobeline has similar effects on your body as nicotine, it has long been considered a possible tool to help people quit smoking. Still, research on this topic has been mixed, leading the Food and Drug Administration FDA to ban lobeline for smoking treatment in due to the lack of evidence about its efficacy 10 , Nevertheless, some studies indicate that lobeline may be beneficial for other types of drug addictions, as it can interact with brain receptors responsible for the release of neurotransmitters that makes drugs addictive 4 , 12 , One animal study in rats addicted to heroin found that lobeline injections of 0.
Although preliminary studies are promising, research in this area is lacking. Thus, lobelia cannot be recommended as an effective treatment for any type of drug addiction. Compounds in other types of lobelia, especially the alkaloid lobinaline found in Lobelia cardinalis , have been shown to act as antioxidants Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals.
These are reactive molecules that can damage cells in your body and increase your risk for illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease One study found that, in addition to fighting free radicals, lobinaline aided brain signaling pathways However, more research is needed Lobeline, the active compound in Lobelia inflata , may help treat asthma, depression, ADHD, and drug abuse, but human research is limited.
Compounds like lobinaline in other types of lobelia may have antioxidant effects. One study in adults with ADHD suggested that up to 30 mg of lobeline per day in tablet form appears to be safe. Nonetheless, some side effects include nausea , a bitter aftertaste, mouth numbness, heart arrhythmia, and increased blood pressure 3.
Furthermore, lobelia is known to induce vomiting and can be poisonous — even fatal — in very high doses. Taking 0. The most common lobelia side effect is nausea. High doses of the herb can be poisonous and cause serious adverse effects, including:. Lobelia should not be used by women who are pregnant and nursing, or children.
People with high blood pressure and heart disease should not use the herb. People who are on meditations should also avoid using lobelia unless advised otherwise by their healthcare professionals.
The herb is also poisonous to pets and animals, so keep that in mind if you are planning to plant lobelia in your garden. Josh Axe is on a mission to provide you and your family with the highest quality nutrition tips and healthy recipes in the world What Is Lobelia? Potential Benefits Dosage Side Effects. More Nutrition Dr. Axe on Facebook Dr. Axe on Twitter 2 Dr. Axe on Instagram Dr.
It is used as an activator for problems involving the musculature and respiration. Cayenne is used to stir and direct the blood, Bayberry for its action on the lymphatics, and Prickly Ash bark for its action on the mucosa. In addition to Lobelia, he used Cayenne, Bayberry, Prickly Ash, and Goldenseal, all of which show their strong affinity to the nerves by causing tingling or burning.
Each has its own sphere of influence. Lobelia acts especially on the nerves of the muscular system, Cayenne on the vasculature, Bayberry on lymphatic tissues and boggy membranes, Prickly Ash on the nerves of the mucosa and the nervous system generally, and Goldenseal on the nerves of the mucosa.
To this group could be added Echinacea. It also causes the same tingling reaction on the tongue, acting as an accelerator for the lymphatics and venous side of the circulation. Wood Betony, for example, has a general, stimulating effect on the stomach through the solar plexus.
It probably activates other herbs directed to the stomach. It can be used in a homeopathic dilution, if one wants to avoid using such a plant, but it is difficult to say if it is as effective. The seedpods are the most potent part of Lobelia. These and the stems are considered the officinal parts in Herbalism and Homeopathy. Thomson speaks of great fluctuation in the size of the crop from year to year. The quality and properties of the crop also vary greatly so that it is difficult to find any two batched which have the same intensity.
Some are relatively inert. This is just the sort of uncertainty we would expect from Lobelia, but it makes it hard to use. The bulk herb should be so active that it causes irritation at the back of the throat when the container is opened. The tincture should also convey this prickly sensation when dropped on the tongue.
Even if it used as an emetic, the dose should still be moderate. Many physicians fail to obtain the benefit they have reason to expect because of its improper administration; it is not absorbed, but simply irritates the stomach. Lobelia works best if the patient can figure out the dosage for him- or herself.
Using one to two drops per dose will seldom bring on nausea or emesis, and is to be preferred when an emetic is not desired. For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider. Lobelia is considered a potentially toxic herb. It can cause serious side effects, such as profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, rapid heartbeat, mental confusion, convulsions, hypothermia, coma, and possibly even death.
Check with your provider to determine the right dose for you, and do not exceed your provider's recommended dose. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, tobacco sensitivity, paralysis, seizure disorder, and shortness of breath, and those recovering from shock should not take lobelia.
Lobelia can irritate the GI tract. Lobelia may make symptoms worse for people with ulcers, Chron disease, inflammatory bowel disease IBD , or intestinal infections. Few studies have looked at the effects of lobelia, so scientists are not clear about which medications might interact with this herb. Based on some of the chemicals contained in lobelia, use caution with the following medications:. Psychiatric medications: Including antidepressants, Lithium, anti-anxiety agents, and stimulants such as those taken for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Chantix varenicline : Chantix, a stop smoking medication, also affects dopamine levels in the brain. Auerbach, P. Auerbach: Wilderness Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; Bradley P, ed.
British Herbal Compendium. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. Lobeline and reduction of cigarette smoking.
Psychol Rep. A novel mechanism of action and potential use for lobeline as a treatment for psychostimulant abuse. Biochem Pharmacol. A study on the effect of aqueous extract of Lobelia chinensis on colon precancerous lesions in rats.
Karch SB.
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