Lobelia tupa

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|genus = Lobelia

|species = tupa

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Lobelia tupa is a species of Lobelia native to central Chile from Valparaíso south to Los Lagos regions.Flora Chilena: [http://www.florachilena.cl/Niv_tax/Angiospermas/Ordenes/Asterales/Campanulaceae/Lobelia/tupa/Lobelia%20tupa.htm Lobelia tupa]

Lobelia tupa is an evergreen perennial plant which grows up to 4 m tall and thrives in dry soils. The foliage is grey-green, with felty elliptical leaves 10–15 cm long. The flowers are red, tubular and 2-lipped and are produced in a sympodium pattern.

The plant has numerous ethnobotanical uses due to its pharmaceutically active alkaloids. The latex is used as an abortifacient, and the large, felty leaves are smoked as a narcotic with possible hallucinogenic effects - whence one of its common names, Tabaco del Diablo (Devil's tobacco). Ironically, this plant has been used to treat nicotine addiction because it contains the nicotine-related alkaloid Lobeline (a mixed agonist–antagonist at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors).{{cite journal | vauthors = Damaj MI, Patrick GS, Creasy KR, Martin BR | title = Pharmacology of lobeline, a nicotinic receptor ligand | journal = The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics | volume = 282 | issue = 1 | pages = 410–9 | date = July 1997 | pmid = 9223582 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Miller DK, Harrod SB, Green TA, Wong MY, Bardo MT, Dwoskin LP | title = Lobeline attenuates locomotor stimulation induced by repeated nicotine administration in rats | journal = Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior | volume = 74 | issue = 2 | pages = 279–86 | date = January 2003 | pmid = 12479946 | doi = 10.1016/s0091-3057(02)00996-6 | s2cid = 20510311 }} The Mapuche of Southern Chile consider it a sacred plant. Tupa leaves have also been found to contain chemicals that act as a respiratory stimulant.Plants for a Future: [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lobelia+tupa Lobelia tupa]