Health benefits of Stinging Nettle

The botanical name of stinging nettle is Urtica dioica L., which belongs to family Urticaceae. The global distribution of this plant extended to the temperate and tropical areas. The plant parts including roots and leaves have many traditional medicinal applications including anemia, blood purifier, diuretic, diarrhea, eczema, haematuria, nephritis, jaundice, rheumatism, emmenagogue (stimulates menstruation flow), menorrhagia, nasal and menstrual hemorrhage. Stinging nettle has country-specific ethnomedicinal uses, such as:

• Brazil: Asthma, bronchitis, bleeding, cough, diarrhea, diabetes, dysentery, fever, lung problems, liver support, pneumonia, skin disorders, increase perspirations, ulcers, menstrual disorders, urinary problems.
• Belize: Childbirth, dysentery, diarrhea, prostate problems, skin problems, rashes, sores
• Cuba: Burns, bruises, hemorrhoids, flu, urinary insufficiency, and wound healing.
• Dominican: Dysentery, lung problems, fertility (veterinary), and stimulates perspiration
• Germany: Arthritis, prostate diseases, inflammation, rheumatism, urinary tract disorders, urinary insufficiency.
• Guatemala: Bruises, dermatitis, erysipelas, fever, gonorrhea, kidney disease, skin disease, skin irritation/eruptions, sores, ulcers, wounds, and to increase perspiration
• Greece: Asthma, laxative, inflammation, spleen disorders, pleurisy, urinary insufficiency.
• Haiti: Blood purification, coughs, digestive problems, diarrhea, flu, fever, fractures, skin problems, scurvy, wounds
• India: Eczema, skin eruptions, nose bleeding, uterine hemorrhages
• Mexico: Asthma, childbirth, chest problems, constipation, dysentery, diarrhea, elephantiasis, fever, gastrointestinal disorders, hemorrhages, kidney problems, leprosy, malaria, skin rashes, syphilis, skin problems, uterine disorders, wound healing.
• Peru: Asthma, arthritis, bleeding, diabetes, diuretic, dysentery, expectorant, head lice, hair loss, hemorrhoids, inflammation in gut, inflammatory symptoms, liver disease, kidney stones, muscle ache, nasal polyp, pain, rheumatism, respiratory problems, sciatica, stimulates perspiration, urinary insufficiency, and wound healing.
• U.S.: Allergy, arthritis, benign prostate hyperplasia, bleeding, hypertension, hair loss, inflammation, prostatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, urinary insufficiency, wounds
• Venezuela Syphilis, wounds, and to lower body temperature, increase perspiration
• Elsewhere Aches, allergic rhinitis, asthma, bacterial infections, baldness, bleeding, bronchitis, bruises, burns, cancer, catarrh, chest problems, childbirth, cholecystitis, constipation, cough, dandruff, diarrhoea, dyspnea, edema, elephantiasis, epilepsy, fever, gout, hair loss, haemorrhages, hypertension, insanity, iron‑deficiency anaemia, kidney stones, leprosy, liver diseases, lung problems, menstrual disorders, neuralgia, obesity, osteoarthritis, pain, paralysis, prostate disorders, rheumatism, skin diseases, sprains, stomach problems, swelling, tumors, uterine disorders, urinary problems, worms, wounds and to promote perspiration.

Phytochemicals of Stinging nettle

There are multiple phytochemicals present in Stinging nettle, which include carotenoids, flavonoids, phytosterols, chlorophylls, tannins, saponins, sterols, proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins.

Mechanism of action of Stinging nettle

• Stinging nettle extract has a significant antioxidant property which has reducing power, free radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion, radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and metal chelating activities.
• Stinging nettle leaf extract can act on pancreatic islets of Langerhans cells and significantly enhances insulin secretion. Thus, it decreases the blood sugar level.
• The leaves extract of Stinging nettle decreases liver enzymes level in blood and significantly increases oxidative enzymes activity.
• Stinging nettle has significantly decreased total cholesterol level, LDL / LDL/HDL ratios by
• lowering LDL concentrations and plasma total apo‑protein B level.
• Stinging nettle increases urine production and thus urine output increases and acts as diuretics.
• The antiviral property of Stinging nettle has a strong inhibitory effect of syncytium formation and permanently diminished HIV.

Different Dosage forms of Stinging nettle

In many health and supplement store and herbal drug supplier sale stinging nettle containing different dosage forms, such as capsule, tea, tincture, ointment, and wax-based salves. Freeze-dried preparations of stinging nettle leaf also available in the market.

• Stinging nettle capsules: The available dose range is 300-mg to 900mg.
• Topical stinging nettle ointment: Short term external application of this formulation can treat dermatitis and other mild skin problem.
• Stinging nettle is as similar as spinach with a distinct mint flavor. Many people consider this as a vegetable and add it to the preparation of soups, vegetables, etc. Some prefer to prepare tea to obtain its medicinal property.

Uses of Stinging Nettle

Many research studies identified different medical properties of Stinging nettle, which include antioxidant, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti colitis, antiviral, anticancer, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiandrogenic, cardiovascular effects, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, insecticide, immunomodulatory, natriuretic, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Ant-Diabetic

Diabetic patients can be benefited by in taking Stinging nettle containing herbal products, as this herbal remedy helps to reduce blood glucose level. An animal research study confirmed its enhancement of insulin level.

Liver Health Improvement

Stinging nettle has a hepato-protective effect due to its potent antioxidant property. It helps to control liver enzyme level in blood during jaundice and improve the condition. Hepatoprotective effect of Stinging nettle heals the ischemia‑reperfusion related hepatic damage. It improves the antioxidant enzymes activity, such as enhancement of superoxide dismutase level and also decreases liver peroxidation.

Manage Hyperlipidemia

Stinging nettle is effective to control both total cholesterol level and LDL/HDL level. An animal research studies showed that Stinging nettle intake can control lipid level even after a high-fat diet consumption.

Kidney Functioning Improvement

The kidney is one of the vital organs of our body. It produces urine and excretes out to purify the blood and maintain the sodium-potassium balance (electrolyte balance). Disturbances in kidney functioning reduce urine flow. Some patients have excessive loss of sodium. Stinging nettle acts as a diuretic and helps to excretion of urine. It also limits the sodium excretion ( natriuretic) condition.

HIV Treatment

Stinging nettle is effective against HIV infection due to its potent antiviral activity. It significantly reduces CD4 count by inhibiting the syncytia.

Infection Control

Stinging nettle has broad antibacterial property, which is effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The antibacterial property of this herb is effective against E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Streptococcus aureus, S. pyogenes, and S. epidermidis. The flavonoids content of Stinging nettle provides significant anti-microbial property.

Cardiac Health Improvement

Stinging nettle can also improve heart functioning by lowering arterial blood pressure. It improves cardiac functioning by acting on potassium channel attached within the heart. It also regularized the heart rate due to its positive inotropic effect.

Anti-Arthritic Activity

The characteristic symptom of arthritis is joint pain and inflammation of joints. Stinging nettle has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. These help to reduce joint pain and inflammation. It inhibits the NF‑kB activation and reduces the inflammatory symptom. Stinging nettle leaves extract is recommended as an alternative treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, as it has a suppressive effect against cytokine production and provides symptomatic relief.

Immunomodulatory Action

Stinging nettle acts on spleen and acts as Immunomodulator by stimulating the production of

T‑lymphocytes proliferation and consequently increase its level in blood. Immunomodulatory action of Stinging nettle can effectively remedy to control autoimmune condition.

Anthelmintic Activity

Stinging nettle has anthelmintic activity and effective to treat intestinal worms.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

BPH is a common genitourinary problem in male. Imbalance of prostate‑specific antigen levels is the clinical sign of BPH. Stinging nettle herbal treatment reduces prostate weight, control frequency of urination, and serum testosterone levels by regulating the prostate‑specific antigen levels.

Anticancer

The stinging nettle root extract has anti-cancer property due to its cytotoxic effect. Consumption of this herbal remedy helps to inhibit unwanted cell proliferation of the cancer cell.

Side Effects and Precautions

• The folk and traditional use of Stinging nettle do not found any unpleasant side effect. But toxicology study reported an excess dose of Stinging nettle causes occasional diarrhea and reduction of body weight in the experimental animals. A higher dose can cause increase respiratory rate and central nervous system stimulation.
• In mild to moderate dose the side effects are relatively less. Oral consumption of Stinging nettle herbal formulation can cause sweating and stomach upset. Some patients may experience rash and skin irritation after external application.
• Because of its possible effects on blood pressure and blood sugar, stinging nettle should be avoided if your hypertension or diabetes is well controlled with medications. Even if it isn’t, speak with your doctor before using stinging nettle to fully understand the potential risks and benefits.
• Diabetic patients who are under medication should not use this herbal remedy without consultation with a doctor as it can cause a sudden reduction in blood sugar level. The diuretic effect of this herbal remedy may cause kidney damage in long term therapy. Long term therapy is not recommended as it can cause central nervous system excitation.
• Experts also suggested children, pregnant women, and lactating mother should avoid stinging nettle treatment due to lack of human experimental details.

References

• Pharmacognostical review of Urtica dioica L. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 
• Phytochemistry and pharmacologic properties of Urtica dioica L.
• Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle.