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Nettle Leaf
Nettle leaf
Other Names Nettle leaf derives from Urtica dioica or Urtica urens.
What Is It? Nettle leaf or herb consists of the dried or fresh aerial parts of Urtica dioica or Urtica urens. However, in many instances in herbals, nettle leaf is not referred to or recommended separately from the whole plant. Most often, herbals refer to nettle as the whole plant, and describe its uses accordingly. Germany’s Commission E and ESCOP recommend nettle leaf or herb specifically for treatment of rheumatic conditions and relieving inflammation in the urinary tract. 1,2 The British herbal Compendium recommends nettle leaf or herb as a mild diuretic and as a hemostatic (to check blood flow). 3 But nettle’s uses are far broader. Dr. James Duke cites a multitude of therapeutic uses for nettle, which are listed here. In only a few instances does Dr. Duke specify leaf or herb versus whole plant. Those uses are noted here. He recommends use of nettle for allergies (leaf), Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis (leaves), asthma, baldness (leaves), bladder infections, bronchitis, bursitis, cough (leaves), gingivitis, gout, hives, kidney stones, laryngitis, multiple sclerosis, PMS, enlarged prostate (roots), sciatica, and tendonitis. 4
Medicinal History Nettle leaf or whole plant has been used in traditional folk medicine as an astringent, a diuretic, and a tonic herb. Internally nettle has been employed to treat anemia, uterine hemorrhage, excessive menstruation, hemmorhoids, arthritis, rheumatism, gout and skin eruptions. Topically, preparations of nettle have been employed to relieve arthritic pain, gout, sciatica, neuralgia, hemmorhoids, sclap and hair problems, burns and insect bites and stings. 5
Nettle was used during the time of Hippocrates to treat bites and stings, and European herbalists employed nettle tea for respiratory disorders. Native Americans employed nettle for a plethora of purposes, including as a snuff for nosebleeds, an analgesic and antirheumatic, as an herbal steam to relieve pain, as a whip to relieve rheumatic pain, as an infusion to aid delivery, as a poultice applied to aching joints, as a decocotion or infusion for various bladder and urinary disorders, as an inhalant for for grippe or pneumonia, as an infusion for fevers, as a general tonic, a hair wash, and to relieve skin inflammations. 6
Habitat & Cultivation Nettle is found widely throughout North America and Europe, where it grows abundantly as a weed. The leaves and stems are covered with stinging hairs, thus the name stinging nettle. The plant grows commonly in ditches, thickets, fields and pastures. Typically the whole plant is harvested, as the root is therapuetically valuable. Nettle is typically dried prior to preparation as a medicine, but fresh nettle is also be juiced or extracted for therapeutic purposes. 5, 7, 8
How It Works Though nettle’s therapeutic activities aren’t completely understood, the plant contains a variety of antioxidant compounds which protect cells and enhance tissue health. The plant contains a number of anti-inflammatory compounds, which may account for its multiple uses for treating inflammation. The plant is also rich in minerals of value to skin and hair, which may explain its beneficial uses for both. Nettle also contains diuretic agents and phytochemicals which help to control bleeding. 7,8,9,10
Contemporary Uses Approved by Authoritative Bodies Germany’s Commission E and ESCOP approve the use of nettle leaf or herb:
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