Common names  |  Lobelia, Indian tobacco

Scientific name  | Lobelia inflata

Used part  | Aerial part

Konwn active compounds  | lobeline, isolobeline 

Potential benefits in cosmetics  | anti-microbial 

Product name  | Lobelia-ANB

 

 

Plant Story

Lobelia inflata is a flowering plant native to eastern North America. Lobelia has been used as a medicinal plant as well as a dermatological and respiratory aid. Native Americans used it for respiratory and muscle disorders, as a purgative, and as ceremonial medicine. The Cherokee, Iroquois, and Penobscot used lobelia for respiratory and muscle disorders. The Cherokee also used it as a root poultice for pains and root/leaf poultice for ringworm and insect bites.

 

Alkaloids are the major group of bioactive compounds in L. inflata. More than 50 alkaloids have been identified in L. inflata. Although relatively less studied to date, ethanol and methanol extracts of Lobelia inflata was reported to have anti-microbial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia, Staph- ylococcus marcescens, and S. aureus. Similarly, extracts of L. pyramidalis, another species of Lobelia, also showed inhibitory activity against several microorganisms, including S. aureus, Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and C. parapsilosis.