Lobelia [Lobelia inflata] Benefits & Uses

Today you will discover the health benefits of the fascinating herb, Lobelia. You will learn that one of the best way’s to take this herb is by making Lobelia herbal tea. I also show you a simple herbal tea recipe for Lobelia.

Herbal tea is very different to normal tea. It’s an infusion made of herbs. Which unlike the normal tea from leaves of the tea bush ( Camellia sinensis). Herbal tea is prepared out of dried leaves or fresh, roots or seeds. By pouring boiling or hot water over the parts of the plant and then let them steep for a few minutes.

Herbal tea is often drunk for both medical and physical effects. Their sedative, stimulant, and relaxing propertie highly appreciated by tea drinkers all over the world.

For tea lovers, it’s important to gather the right information before consuming tea prepared from herbs.

Tea is a crucial part of many cultures of the world. It has been in constant use for centuries due to its healing powers. Recent scientific research has shown the benefits of herbs on the human body. Tea stores keep huge stocks of different herbs that you can prepare. They also provide ready made concoctions or packets which can you can simply add hot water for drinking.

However not all herbs are beneficial for the body. There are some which are very good for your health whereas some have adverse effects. There are many different types of herbal tea, but let us focus today on Lobelia herbal tea.

What is Lobelia?

Lobelia inflata is the botanical name of the herb Lobelia. It’s also known as Indian tobacco, bladder pod, Asthma

Weed, puke weed, gagroot, vomit worth, and rapuntium inflatum. Botanical family Bellflower and it’s sub-family Lobeliaceae.

This herb is a fine and hairy plant that has white to pale blue flowers and can grow from six up to eight feet. After summer, this herbs fruit ripens into small inflated seedpods. It grows on its own since it seeds are spread wide across open woods and fields. It ranges from Georgia and Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

This herb can either be biennial or an annual plant meaning it can reseed one to two years. The seeds and flowering parts of Lobelia plant are useful. Lobelia seeds contain a lobeline, which is a piperidine alkaloid. Only dried leaves of Lobelia are used in herbal medicine for the infusion.

Traditional Uses for Lobelia

Traditionally, Lobelia herb was used as a potent relaxant. Also a remedy to open breathing channels blocked by mucus, and to remove harmful poisons from the body by inducing vomiting. Dried leaves were smoked like tobacco in India. In other places, Lobelia root helps treat ulcers, leg sores, and venereal diseases.

The herb was also used for stings, sores, boils, and bites. Others used this herb for religious ceremonies. Today, this herb is considered as a remedy for:

• Colds
• Lung disease (phthisic)
• Allergies
• Sore throat
• Asthma
• Sedative
• Spasms in the muscles or joints

Lobeline and Nicotine

The most important use of this herb is to reduce nicotine cravings. Lobeline in the seed of this herb, works as substitute to nicotine but it is not as addictive as nicotine. It just helps you get rid of the nicotine craving. Lobelia works mainly by clearing smokers’ lungs. As soon as this transpires, the cigarette smoker can have no trouble with breathing.

Aside from this amazing benefit, lobelia likewise makes the taste of nicotine intolerable for smokers. If nicotine users make an effort to stop smoke cigarettes using lobelia. Then this will help remove cigarette smokers’ itch to finish the cigarette stick.

Thanks to this particular side effect, nicotine users should be able to cut down. The quantity of cigarette’s they light up, and even kick the dependency permanently.

This herb has many properties such as:

• Nervine
• Stimulant
• Expectorant
• Antispasmodic
• Diuretic
• Emetic
• Diaphoretic
• Anti-asthmatic

Lobelia herb comes in different forms such as:Infusion, Poultice, liquid extracts, powder, capsules as a dried herb.

Recipe for Lobelia Herbal Tea

Ingredients; a three-quarter teaspoon of dried Lobelia leaves, boiling water eight ounces.

Method; Place the dried herb in a mug and pour in hot the water. Steep it for up to thirty minutes. Cover with a lid when steeping so as not to lose the healing properties and amazing flavor.

Let the tea to cool and take two ounces four times a day. However, it’s advised to combine this herb with other herbs like peppermint and chamomile.

5 Important Health Benefits of Lobelia

Below you will find some of the most important health benefits of Loberia.

1. Lobelia Anti-Smoking Aid

Deciding to quit cigarette smoking is one of the ways of reducing the risk of some life threatening diseases. However, deciding to quit smoking can not happen automatically. So you have to choose an effective method to help you quit gradually. Lobelia herb is very effective.

The lobeline, a property contained in the seed of this herb acts as alternative to nicotine. Although it’s not as addictive as nicotine, it is the best in helping a tobacco addict get rid of nicotine addiction. That said, it is always important to consult with a doctor before consuming lobelia. Over use of lobelia may cause toxic effects in the body.

2. Antispasmodic

The alkaloid contained in Lobelia herb helps to relax muscles. This happens through relieving or preventing excessive spasms (contractions) of the involuntary or voluntary muscles.

It relaxes the muscles of the smaller tracheal tubes, which opens the airways. Thus stimulating breathing, and this promotes the coughing up of mucus. Helping to prevent spasmodic, which is nonproductive coughing.

3. Remove Toxins from the Body

In case of food poisoning. Lobelia is administered in higher dosage to induce vomiting. This will help clear the stomach of toxins. Such as, excessive alcohol consumption and food poisoning. It’s the reason why it was given the name “puke weed” as it induces vomiting. Thus, eliminates toxins from the body.

4. Improves Blood Flow

Blood circulation problems occur due to lifestyle patterns and medical conditions. High blood flow(¹) is a heart condition with a feeling of a dull aching and tension in the chest. Which may also involve sharp pain and sudden spasms in the chest.

Lobelia herb helps calm a fast heart rate while there is little tension in the arteries. The herb slows down the heart rate by increasing arterial tension and the force of the heart. It can also help a fatty heart or an over-dilated heart.

It can also help to reduce high blood pressure that’s related to nervousness. Because it increases blood flow to the scalp and relaxes the blood vessels. However, when lobelia is taken in large doses, it causes too much blood to flow to the head. This results in a vaso-dilative headache or dizziness.

5. Stimulant and Relaxant

In times of crisis related to your healthy. Lobelia is one of the most important herbs to have. When this herb is combined with other herbs and administered in small dosage it increases it’s effectiveness.

 While administered in large dosage, it constrictes blood vessels and relaxes musculature.

Lobelia contains isolobelanine (respiratory relaxant and an emetic) and lobeline(²) ( that is a potent respiratory stimulant). This herb has a depressant action on the autonomic nerve systems and the central nerve systems.

Other benefits of lobelia

• Alleviate joint lumps and muscle pain
• Reduce pelvic stiffness during childbirth
• Sedative
• Insect bite
• Inflammation
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Cough

Caution and Side Effects

Despite all the above benefits that accompany this lobelia herb. There are several negative aspects that you should be aware before trying it.

• People with heart conditions and high blood pressure should avoid this herb as it is a vasomotor stimulant. Hence it may increase the blood pressure.

• People suffering from shortness of breath, seizures and with kidney or liver disease should avoid lobelia herb at all cost.

• Breastfeeding and pregnant women should not use lobelia herb.

• Lobelia herb can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities.

• Other side effects are vomiting, Profuse sweating, Heart palpitations, Nausea, Diarrhea, and Disorientation

Other Considerations

• Different herbal formulations of using lobelia herb are readily available with a prescription.

• Lobelia herb basic mechanism of action as a nicotinic as antagonist and agonist has shown to be efficient in the prescription medicine varenicline. Which gives some proof that there is effectiveness in using lobelia.

• The formulations are simple to use, generally requiring that you take two pills three times a day.

• Most lobelia herbal formulation also includes combination of herbs. That promote cleansing and helps to soothe withdrawal symptoms.

• The research on lobelia herb and long-term smoking cessation is not enough to meet the ‘gold standard’ for proof of effectiveness

• Like many herbs, drugs, lobelia included, can have adverse effects for some people

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Conclusion

It is advisable to take in a lot of water and fruits so as H2O can loosen up the body if using lobelia herb. You should strictly follow the instruction before using any form of lobelia herb and any other herb. Lastly and most important, excess dose is toxic.

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