Organic nettle leaf, also called stinging nettle, is well named. The plant leaves and stems are lined with tiny hairs that impart a nasty stinging pain. That same pain can be used to decrease joint pain and inflammation, proponents of the herb believe. Nettle leaf's effects come from flavonoids, compounds found in plants and polysaccharides, complex sugars. Proponents of the herb claim it has analgesic, anti-viral and numbing effects. Do not take this herb without your medical practitioner's approval.
Allergy and Hay Fever
Quercitin is a flavonoid that may inhibit histamine release. Histamine release activates hay fever and allergy symptoms. Freeze dried stinging nettle capsules taken before the start of hay fever season may reduce sneezing and itching. Clinical evidence for this use comes from a 1990 study in "Planta Medica" conducted by the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, which found that stinging nettle rated slightly higher for reducing hay fever symptoms than placebo, Paul Mittman, N.D. reported.
Arthritis
Stinging nettle has been used to treat both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease. Intentional applications of the nettles to painful regions produces a rash that last 24 hours; pain and numbing can occur at the site. This should be done under medical supervision.
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
Stinging nettle is often used in Europe to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy, an enlargement of the prostate that causes nocturnal urination, urinary frequency and poor urinary stream. Stinging nettle may decrease the growth of cells as much as finasteride, a prescription medication often prescribed to treat BPH, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Chemicals in stinging nettle may have chemical effects on hormones that decrease prostate growth, although the herb does not shrink BPH. A double-blind study conducted by the Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran and reported in the 2005 issue of the "Journal of herbal Pharmacology" studies the effects of stinging nettle of BPH. According to author Mohammad Reza Safarinejad, M.D., stinging nettle improved BPH symptoms in 81 percent of people taking the herb compared with 16 percent improvement in the placebo group.
Urinary Tract Infection
Although clinical evidence is lacking, stinging nettle may help treat urinary tract infection by increasing urination and washing bacteria out of the bladder. This therapy is used in Germany, where stinging nettle along with other herbs is taken as a tea. Stinging nettle does have diuretic effects, the University of Michigan Health System website states.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Stinging Nettle
- eMedTV: Stinging Nettle
- University of Michigan Health System: Nettle
- PubMed.gov: Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Freeze-Dried Urtica Dioica in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis
- PubMed.gov: Urtica Dioica for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: a Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study
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