Urtica dioica (Nettle, Stinging Nettle)

Family: Urticaceae

Habitat/Botanical Description: Grows throughout Europe, Asia and North America as a 60 – 120 cm herb bearing ovate and acuminate leaves with a coarsely serrate margin. The leaves are covered with erect stinging hairs and softer non-stinging hairs. The stems are square and thick (3 mm). The whitish green flowers occur as panicles larger than the leaf petioles.

Part Used: Aerial (herba, radix, seed)

Active Constituents:

Amines (in hairs-histamine, seratonin, choline, formic acid), Chlorophylls (a & b), enzymes, flavonoids (kaempferol, quercitin, rhamnetin), Nutrients (b-carotene, xanthophylls, vitamins B, C, K1, nitrates, potassium, silica), Sterols, Triterpenes

Medicinal Actions:

Anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, anti-rheumatic, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, phyto-hormone

Medicinal Use:

1)       Nutritive

2)       Juice reduce the stinging of the sting

3)       Stinging of the leaves is caused by the histamine of the plant

4)       But if taken internally could suppress the releast of mast cells

5)       Antihistamine and anti-allergic effect need to use the whole plant . in sever case it will decrease the allergy

6)       Combines well with other herb for the treatment of allergy or asthma that is histamine related

7)       Root is used to decrease the benign hypertrophy since it binds the sex hormone. It reduce the size of the prostate and amount of inflammation

8)       Inhibit prostatic cyclic AMP

9)       High in minerals that it is good in combine with mineral rich , dense herbs

10)    Hypoglycemic in their action, could use it in type 2 diabetics, since the seeds are high in mineral that have the hypoglycemicus effect

11)    Traditionally treats arthritis

12)    Urtica has a wide variety of uses, and different parts of the plant have different actions. The leaf of the plant has a strong anti-inflammatory and mast cell stabilizing effect due to the flavonoids, nutrients and amines. It is a good choice for treatment of allergies, colds and influenza. You can reduced the frequency and severity of occurrences of hay fever, hives, rhinitis and sinusitis.

13)    The lignans in the root reduces the binding of 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone to sex hormone binding globulin. This displaces testosterone from the SHBG and inhibits the binding of SHBG to its receptors. These actions inhibit testosterone from stimulating prostate cAMP, which reduces hyperplasia. It also inhibits sodium and potassium pump expression in the cells of the prostate. This effect both reduces size and degree of inflammation in the prostate. It has been shown to increase urine flow and decrease residual urine volume and uric acid. It is thought that the minerals help to strengthen the connective tissue.

14)    These anti-inflammatory actions also indicate use of the plant in treatment of gout, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure and edema.

15)    One of the more recent uses found for Urtica include the use of the seeds as a hypoglycemic agent. It has been shown to reduce hyperglycemia, increase the sensitivity of insulin receptors, and reduce the damage that hyperglycemia can produce in the renal glomerulus and tubules.

16)    The strong nutritive content of Urtica make it useful as a food, or infusion. The best way to assimilate all the minerals is as a cold infusion or steamed vegetable, since the breakdown of the plant material allows release of minerals. This means tincture is also very nutritive. Urtica combines well with other mineral rich herbs like Medicago, Trifolium, Equisetum, and Rumex.

Contraindications: None, there are a few people sensitive to Urtica. It is best to start with a low dose in hypersensitive patients. Look for symptoms including worsening of nasal catarrh and pharyngeal constriction.

Toxicity: None

Drug Interactions: None

Pharmacy:

Infusion: 2 tsp/cup TID to 6 X daily

Decoction: 4 – 6 gm/quart

Tincture (1:5): 5 ml TID

Fluid Extract (1:1): 1 ml TID

Capsules (100 mg): 4 – 8 capsules per day