Botany
Adlabong is a tall, erect, much branched, somewhat hairy herb growing from 1.5 to 3 meters in height. Leaves, resembling those of tobacco, are narrowly obovate-lanceolate, the lower ones being 30 cm in length and 5 cm in width, while the upper ones gradually become smaller; all are smooth or nearly so above and hairy or smooth beneath. Flowers are large, white and borne on terminal compound inflorescences. The calyx-tube is smooth or hairy, with linear teeth about 1.2 cm long. Corolla is 2 to 3 cm long, and smooth or hairy. Capsules are 2-celled, somewhat rounded, and about 1.5 cm in diameter. Seeds are numerous, very small, ellipsoid, and compressed.
Distribution
In damp thickets and ravines, at altitudes of 1,200 to 2,300 meters.
Occurs in Bontoc, Ifugao, Benguet, Lepanto Subprovinces; and the Zambales Province in Luzon.
Also occurs in India.
Constituents
Two alkaloids have been isolated, one of them identified as lobeliin. The lobeline content of L. nicotianaefolia is higher (1-1.8%) compared of L. inflata (0.3-0.4%).
Also contains volatile oil, resin, gum and fixed oil.
Seeds contain an acro-narcotic poison; in India, often preferred to Datura as poison, when a rapid effect if desired.
Properties
- Dry herb, when handled, is extremely acrid; the dust irritating the throat and nostril like tobacco.
- Lobelia used medicinally as expectorant, emetic, anti-asthmatic, stimulant, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic and nervine.
Parts used
Leaves, seeds.
Uses
Folkloric
In India, infusion of leaves used as antispasmodic and expectorant.
Used for treatment of bronchits, asthma, insect and scorpion bites.
Also used to induce nausea and vomiting.
Studies
• Antibacterial: In a study of extracts of six commonly available medicinal plants tested for their antibacterial activity against five different diarrheagenic bacterial ( B cereus, S aureus, E coli, Salmonella enteritidis and L monocytogenes), the crude aqueous leaf extract and crude ethanolic leaf extract of L. nicotinaefolia showed the highest antimicrobial activity
Availability
Wild-crafted.
|
