Lobelia, Indian tobacco, the active principle of which is the volatile liquid alkaloid lobeline, resembles nicotine or real tobacco in its action. Its chief use is in spasmodic asthma, to depress the bronchomotor nerve-endings or their ganglia. Small doses taken repeatedly cause an unexplained persistent increase in the frequency of the heart-beat. The fluidextract, dose, 2 minims (0.13 c.c.), and the 10 per cent. tincture, dose, 20 minims (1.3 c.c.), are official. The leaves are a constituent of some of the proprietary asthma powders, which are used for burning, the smoke being inhaled. They are sometimes made into cigars or cigarettes with stramonium, cubebs, or tobacco, and these smoked during an asthmatic attack. Lobelia has also been employed as an emetic, the dose required being four times that mentioned above.