Although you may not appreciate the intense itching and stinging sensations that result from brushing against nettle while hiking, this skin-irritating plant has several surprising medicinal uses. Natural healers recommend nettles to support men's health and particularly to alleviate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, also called enlarged prostate. Some clinical studies support nettles' beneficial effects on BPH, but more study is needed. Consult your doctor before trying nettles.
Features
Nettles -- botanically known as Urtica dioica and Urtica urens and also called stinging nettles -- are perennial plants indigenous to Europe; they can also be found growing wild throughout the United States and parts of Canada. Their dark green leaves are serrated and alternately arranged; the pink or yellow flowers appear from June to September. When nettles are applied to a part of the body that is already painful, they have the paradoxical effect of decreasing pain. Nettles have a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine as a remedy for joint pain, arthritis, asthma, edema, gout and eczema. Juice from the nettle plant -- said to stimulate hair growth -- has traditionally been used as a hair tonic. In addition to their use for BPH, nettles are presently used to treat arthritis and allergic rhinitis.
Constituents and Effects
Nettle root contains steroidal compounds, caffeic and malic acids, polysaccharides and a group of phytoestrogens called lignans. A combination of histamine, serotonin and choline on the hairs of the leaves and stems is responsible for the plant's skin-irritating properties. Nettles have possible antispasmodic, diuretic and expectorant effects; they also have anti-inflammatory qualities, which Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health attributes to their ability to inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Drugs.com -- which supplies peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports that some nettle extracts have been shown to reduce prostate size and theorizes this is caused by nettles' ability to reduce plasma levels of a protein called sex hormone--binding globulin.
Research
In a randomized, double-blind clinical study conducted by M. R. Safarinejad, M.D., and published in 2005 in "Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy," extracts of stinging nettle significantly improved symptoms of BPH, as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score. Noting that nettle extracts increased urinary flow and caused reductions in prostate size, Safarinejad concluded that their beneficial effects deserved further study.
Dosage and Precautions
Extracts made from nettle root are available in dried leaf, tincture and capsules. Capsules may be taken in dosages of 120 mg twice a day; the tincture may be used in the amount of 2 to 4 ml three times a day. You can also make a tea by pouring 2/3 of a cup of boiling water over 3 to 4 tsp. of the dried root and steeping for three to five minutes; you can drink up to 4 cups a day. Adverse reactions are uncommon, but include minor nausea, diarrhea and gastric pain. Consult your doctor before trying nettles.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Nettles Information
- "Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy"; Urtica Dioica For Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study; M.R. Safarinejad; 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Stinging Nettle; UMMC Staff; February 2009
- Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Nettle
