Great Blue Lobelia
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Lobelia siphilitica, found throughout the US and Canada in wetlands and swamps, is a herbaceous perennial in the Bellflower Family. It grows up to three feet tall, with long racemes of blue flowers, a favorite of hummingbirds. Historically, Native Americans used the plant’s roots and leaves to treat coughs, nosebleeds, headaches, colds, and, as its scientific name would suggest, syphilis (Anderson, 2003; Folquitto et al., 2019). Ingesting Great Blue Lobelia leaves can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or, in larger amounts, death. Modern use includes extracting an alkaloid, lobeline, used in over-the-counter smoking cessation aids, although there is little evidence of its effectiveness for smoking cessation (Stead & Hughes, 2012). However, lobeline and related piperidine alkaloids are used in several antidepressant and opioid medications (Brown et al., 2016; Vitaku et al., 2014).
Historical Use
Historical information on the use of Great Blue Lobelia can be found in William Barton’s Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States written in 1818. Barton describes the plant as “rank-smelling, particularly the root.” He indicates the root was used by Native Americans to treat syphilis, but also discredits that, noting the lack of evidence for the efficacy of such treatments. Indeed, he reports, Native Americans used the root in combination with many other plants to treat syphilis.
Latest Research
- Conservation units and the origin of planted individuals of an endangered endemic species Lobelia boninensis in the Ogasawara Islandsby Chikashi Hata on November 9, 2024 at 11:00 am
The Ogasawara Islands, one of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site located about 1000 km south of Japan’s main island, harbor numerous endemic species, many of which are as endangered. One of the endemic plant species, Lobelia boninensis, found in the Mukojima, Chichijima, and Hahajima archipelagoes, is endangered due to predation. As part of conservation efforts, translocation is now underway, especially on Chichijima. However, we lack essential information, such as the genetic population…
- Identification of an m6A Natural Inhibitor, Lobeline, That Reverses Lenvatinib Resistance in Hepatocellular Tumorsby Lei Zhao on August 13, 2024 at 10:00 am
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer that has an effect on human health. As a first-line drug for HCC, despite its excellent efficacy, lenvatinib (Len) is prone to developing drug resistance in HCC patients. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is not only related to the development of HCC but also shows great potential in overcoming HCC resistance. Using Dot Blot, our group first screened a small molecule m6A regulator, lobeline (Lob), from a library of 390 compounds…
- Multispectroscopic and Theoretical Investigation on the Binding Interaction of a Neurodegenerative Drug, Lobeline with Human Serum Albumin: Perturbation in Protein Conformation and Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Surfaceby Vibeizonuo Rupreo on July 22, 2024 at 10:00 am
Lobeline (LOB), a naturally occurring alkaloid, has a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities and therapeutic potential, including applications in central nervous system disorders, drug misuse, multidrug resistance, smoking cessation, depression, and epilepsy. LOB represents a promising compound for developing treatments in various medical fields. However, despite extensive pharmacological profiling, the biophysical interaction between the LOB and proteins remains largely unexplored. In the…
- Vesicular monoamine transporter-2 inhibitor JPC-141 prevents methamphetamine-induced dopamine toxicity and blocks methamphetamine self-administration in ratsby Cassie M Chandler on April 5, 2024 at 10:00 am
Previous research has demonstrated therapeutic potential for VMAT2 inhibitors in rat models of methamphetamine use disorder. Here, we report on the neurochemical and behavioral effects of 1-(2-methoxyphenethyl)-4-phenethypiperazine (JPC-141), a novel analog of lobelane. JPC-141 potently inhibited (Ki = 52 nM) [³H]dopamine uptake by VMAT2 in striatal vesicles with 50 to 250-fold greater selectivity for VMAT2 over dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin plasmalemma transporters. Also, JPC-141 was…
- Factors influencing the intention to purchase health insurance: a study of Indian tobacco and alcohol consumersby Ashok Mishra on April 1, 2024 at 10:00 am
INTRODUCTION: This study empirically investigates the attitude of tobacco and alcohol consumers towards health insurance purchase in India. The study aims to determine the factors which plays a significant role in determining the purchase intention of health insurance among tobacco and alcohol consumers.
References
Anderson, M. K. (2003). Great Blue Lobelia Plant Guide.
Brown, D. P., Rogers, D. T., Gunjan, S. K., Gerhardt, G. A., & Littleton, J. M. (2016). Target-directed discovery and production of pharmaceuticals in transgenic mutant plant cells. J Biotechnol, 238, 9-14.
Folquitto, D. G., Swiech, J. N. D., Pereira, C. B., Bobek, V. B., Halila Possagno, G. C., Farago, P. V., Miguel, M. D., Duarte, J. L., & Miguel, O. G. (2019). Biological activity, phytochemistry and traditional uses of genus Lobelia (Campanulaceae): A systematic review. Fitoterapia, 134, 23-38.
Stead, L. F., & Hughes, J. R. (2012). Lobeline for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2012(2), Cd000124.
Vitaku, E., Smith, D. T., & Njardarson, J. T. (2014). Analysis of the structural diversity, substitution patterns, and frequency of nitrogen heterocycles among U.S. FDA approved pharmaceuticals. J Med Chem, 57(24), 10257-10274.
Other Resources
Natural Medicines record: Lobelia. (Access to UI only)