Lobelia chinensis
Chinese lobelia
Lobelia chinensis, commonly known as Chinese Lobelia, is a versatile medicinal herb native to East Asia. Traditionally used in herbal medicine, it is valued for its anti-inflammatory and respiratory benefits. This flowering plant serves as a vital resource in botanical studies, offering unique bioactive compounds for holistic wellness.
- Scientific name: Lobelia chinensis
- Family: Campanulaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Campanulaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Lobelia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Campanulaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Lobelia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Lobelia chinensis, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), it is called 半边莲, while in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant) and the Cantonese dialect of Hong Kong (zh-hk), it is known as 半邊蓮. In Mandarin (zh), the name is 半边莲, and in Japanese (ja), it is commonly referred to as ミゾカクシ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 半边莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 半邊蓮 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 半邊蓮 | Wikidata |
| ja | ミゾカクシ | Wikidata |
| zh | 半边莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 半邊蓮 | Wikidata |
| fa | لبلیا چینی | Wikidata |
| ko | 수염가래꽃 | Wikidata |
| th | พระจันทร์ครึ่งซีก | Wikidata |
| lzh | 半邊蓮 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several key regions in East Asia. Within China, it can be found throughout the South-Central and Southeast territories. It is also documented as growing on the island of Hainan. Moving beyond mainland China, the species is native to Japan in Eastern Asia. Finally, its geographical range extends to include the Korean Peninsula.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Lobelia chinensis, is frequently utilized in traditional medicine where the whole plants are harvested to prepare various therapeutic decoctions. Because the medicinal properties are distributed throughout its structure, practitioners often employ the full plant to ensure a complete profile of its bioactive compounds.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plants | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| full plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Lobelia chinensis has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include linarin, 3'-hydroxygenkwanin, 5-hydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin, apigenin.
- Total chemicals
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| linarin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3'-hydroxygenkwanin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-hydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| apigenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coumarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diosmin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fraxinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoferulic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Lobelia chinensis has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Lobelia chinensis has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, malignant melanoma, tuberculosis.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malignant melanoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |