Miss Molly and the Lobelia

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Had a happy ending today. Molly is a 12 year old cat. She has a thyroid tumor and asthma.

Her owner (my vet tech) brought her in to euthanize her yesterday because she was in such respiratory distress…open mouth breathing and lungs that sounded truly terrible. We’ve been very hesitant to anesthetize her for surgery to remove the thyroid tumor and a bad tooth she’s had because her lungs always sound really bad and hyperthyroid kitties often have serious heart problems as well. I just didn’t think she would survive the anesthesia.

I went back to the pharmacy but instead of grabbing the Euthasol, I grabbed the Lobelia tincture. I’d never used Lobelia in a cat (cats truly hate tinctures) but Molly had absolutely nothing to lose. I have several human clients that I’m using Lobelia on for asthma.

I gave her .25 ml of the Lobelia tincture orally (1:10 tincture with 40% alcohol and vinegar). 15 minutes later she was breathing much better and her lungs sounded markedly better through the stethoscope. I sent some Lobelia tincture home and had mom give her another does or two that evening.

This morning she came back in for a re-check and sounded better than she has for a long time. I knocked her out, pulled her bad teeth and did surgery to remove the thyroid tumor. She came through the anesthesia like a champ without giving me a minute’s concern.

I’ll be sending home Lobelia powder to add to her food for maintenance for her asthma. Seems like she likes it. 🙂

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[KiltedHerbalist]

I use Lobelia quite a bit myself and for my clients.

A year or so back I had an Amish guy come in for a Reflexology session. 6 weeks prior he had been shoeing a horse when it kicked him in the forehead. From talking with him he indicated he had a concussion. He had been to the chiro for the past weeks before coming to me with no success. I know this man fairly well, and could tell his speaking was slow and he almost was slurring words. I feared maybe there was more brain trauma than a concussion, but decided to wait to see how we made out first. 1/2 way through the first session, I was getting no where with his neck but knew there was a very big issue there. I had just made up a lobelia liniment and had it in the shop, so upon his approval we used it. I soaked a paper towel in it and had him lay it on the back of his neck. I also had him put one over his hiatal hernia. By the end of the session, his neck finally went back in, his speech was much more like I knew it before and his hiatal hernia basically disappeared (he couldn’t feel the lump there anymore). The next few session were such that we didn’t need the lobelia anymore, and he made a full recovery:)

The second one that stands out was a middle aged woman who threw up whenever she ate. I suspected hiatal hernia, but she had been scoped for it and they didn’t find anything. Her stomach reflex disagreed with that diagnosis, so I worked it as best I could and sent her home with a bottle of lobelia capsules. This did not fix it outright, but it did help it tremendously. She was able to eat most times without worrying about getting sick afterwards. She was happiest about ice cream, which was one of the worst things for her. She was able to have a little bit and still be ok. I haven’t seen her in quite awhile, but last I did she was still using the lobelia, she said it did more for her than any of the pharmaceuticals she was prescribed.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead InstructorTopic Author]

Interesting cases. How did you make the linament?

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[KiltedHerbalist]

Simply soaked the herb in rubbing alcohol. I’ve also just started using vinegar. I’ve heard told vinegar works the lobelia into it better, idk if that is true, but I’m experimenting with it.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead InstructorTopic Author]

KiltedHerbalist wrote: Simply soaked the herb in rubbing alcohol. I’ve also just started using vinegar. I’ve heard told vinegar works the lobelia into it better, idk if that is true, but I’m experimenting with it.

I always put vinegar in my Lobelia tinctures. It improves the solubility significantly from what I understand. Don’t see why it would be any different with rubbing alcohol instead of hooch.

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[sstolzenburgStudent]

I would assume the solubility is improved because of the acid. It would tend to dissolve the oil based medicines better.

I am still a bit inhibited when it comes to buying booze. ‘Don’t want any of my friends talking. :rant:

Thus far all I have done are glycerin tinctures. I think the vinegar would likely help with solubility for glycerins as well. but never tried it. Does it matter if you use white or cider vinegar. I am afraid it will turn my tincture into sour salad dressings. :blink:

Steve

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead InstructorTopic Author]

sstolzenburg wrote: I would assume the solubility is improved because of the acid. It would tend to dissolve the oil based medicines better.

I am still a bit inhibited when it comes to buying booze. ‘Don’t want any of my friends talking. :rant:

Thus far all I have done are glycerin tinctures. I think the vinegar would likely help with solubility for glycerins as well. but never tried it. Does it matter if you use white or cider vinegar. I am afraid it will turn my tincture into sour salad dressings. :blink:

Steve

From a chemistry standpoint, I don’t suppose it matters a lick if doing alcohol tinctures. If you’re doing an herbal vinegar or a glycerite, there are added benefits to a live apple cider vinegar.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[sstolzenburgStudent]

Doc, Thinking about it more, the vinegar will help dissolve the minerals, among other things.

My curiosity was spiked when you said “live” apple cider vinegar. I have never heard of the term. What do you mean by it? :confused:

[IdahoHerbalist]

It is like buying raw honey. With raw honey it is coarsely filtered and that is it. No cooking, no pasteurization, nothing added.

With live vinegar it has all of the good stuff remaining. It is made with REAL apples, not with grain and then apple flavored. It has all of the bacteria and other good critters that make it good for your gut, just like other fermented foods. That stuff is called the “mother.” So look for apple cider vinegar WITH the mother.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead InstructorTopic Author]

IdahoHerbalist wrote: It is like buying raw honey. With raw honey it is coarsely filtered and that is it. No cooking, no pasteurization, nothing added.

With live vinegar it has all of the good stuff remaining. It is made with REAL apples, not with grain and then apple flavored. It has all of the bacteria and other good critters that make it good for your gut, just like other fermented foods. That stuff is called the “mother.” So look for apple cider vinegar WITH the mother.

Yup. What Steven said. 🙂

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[IdahoHerbalist]

sstolzenburg wrote: I am still a bit inhibited when it comes to buying booze. ‘Don’t want any of my friends talking. :rant:

Hey, you should come buy some hooch with Patrick and me! One of two things will happen:

1) We will have a POSITIVE influence on you and you will get over it.

or

2) They will not even notice you as we clear the shelves.

[Author]

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