Lobelia chinensis 半邊蓮

POISONOUS PARTS

Whole plant.^3,4

TOXICITY

• Toxic Constituents

  Lobeline.⁵

• Mechanism

  Lobeline is an agonist at nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The initial clinical features are mainly due to stimulation of the sympathetic ganglia; with larger doses or prolonged exposure, paradoxical inhibition occurs, resulting in ganglionic and neuromuscular blockade.^2,6–8

• Poisoning Features

  Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, salivation, hearing loss, visual disturbance, confusion and weakness.^5,9,10

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT

Supportive treatment.

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Perennial herbs, glabrous. Stems decumbent or ascendent, 6–15 cm or longer, rooting at the nodes. Leaves alternate, 8–25 × 2–6 mm. Flowers solitary; calyx lobes 5, lanceolate. Corolla pink, light purple or white, 10–15 mm long, slit open on the upper side nearly to the base; limb 5‑lobed, lobes spreading. Filaments united above middle. Capsules 5–6 mm long, obconical.¹¹

MEDICINAL USES

Whole plant with roots used in TCM: induce diuresis and disperse swelling, clear heat and remove toxin. Recommended dose: 9–15 g.^2,12–14

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

Lobeline can be detected by HPLC-DAD, GC-MS and LC-MS/MS.^15–17