Nettle Leaf for Allergies

The nettle plant, often disparaged as a noxious weed for its hardy growth and stinging barb-like hairs, bears a wealth of practical and purported medicinal uses. Scientific research has revealed evidence that nettle may improve allergy symptoms in some people. Consult your doctor about using nettle leaf to treat a medical condition.

Histamine Effect

Nettle leaf's fine hairs cause a burning sensation from release of histamine when they contact your skin. It is this histamine reaction acting as a hormone to reduce your body's inflammatory response that makes nettle a helpful treatment for allergies, says Jonathan M. Berkowitz, author of the book "Basic Health Publications User's Guide to Natural Allergy Relief: Learn About the Many Natural Ways to Reduce Your Allergies." Doses of 300 mg of freeze-dried nettle leaf two to three times per day or 2 to 4 ml of tincture three times per day have been used successfully to alleviate allergy symptoms.

Hay Fever

Hay fever symptoms, such as sneezing and itching, can be alleviated with nettle leaf, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. One possible explanation is that nettle leaf causes your body to release histamine, which diminishes the amount of histamine stored in your cells. When you come into contact with an allergen, your depleted histamine stores result in a less intense response to the allergen. If you choose to use nettle leaf, you may have better results starting early in the allergy season. More studies are needed to confirm nettle's allergy benefits.

Treatment Alternatives

Researchers at Northwestern Health Sciences University College of Chiropractic in Bloomington, Minnesota, found nettle and other natural treatments to be safe and effective for treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis in a study published in the October 2000 issue of the journal "Alternative Medicine Review." Adverse effects of over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants and anti-inflammatory agents range from sedation to impaired learning and memory and irregular heart rate, say the researchers. Natural alternatives, such as nettle leaf, bromelain, quercetin, N-acetylcysteine -- a supplement that decreases mucous production -- and vitamin C are suitable for use as primary therapies, do not add to the health burden associated with allergies and can also be taken with conventional treatments.

Adverse Effects

Nettle leaf may be associated with significant adverse effects, according to researchers in the Department of Medicine, Pediatrics and Ophthalmology at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark. Researchers performed a review of previously published clinical trials and case reports on complementary and alternative medicines used to treat asthma and allergy, including nettle leaf, echinacea, St. John's wort and ginseng and found that almost all of the herbs showed adverse effects, primarily due to hypersensitivity reactions. Consult your doctor about using nettles to treat allergies and to monitor you for adverse side effects of this herb.The study was published in the August 2004 issue of the journal "Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology."