Botanical Index No. 737

Nettle

urtica dioica

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Anesthetic, Antiadrenaline, Antiallergic, Antiaromatase, Antiarthritic, Antiasthmatic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticomplementary, Anticonvulsant, Antiedemic, Antiexudative, Antihemorrhagic, Antihistaminic, Anti-HIV, Antihidrotic, Antiinflammatory, Antileukotriene, Antiprostatitic, Antipyretic, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antitumor, Antiviral, Aquaretic, Aromatase Inhibitor, Astringent, Bradycardic, CNS Depressant, Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor, Cytotoxic, Depurative, Diuretic, Elastase Inhibitor, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Fungicide, Hematogenic, Histaminic, Hyperglycemic, Hypoglycemic, Hypotensive, Inteferonigenic, Lactagogue, Laxative, 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor, Litholytic, Mitogenic, Myorelaxant, Pancreatonic, Tonic, Uterotonic, Cyclo-oxygenase Inhibitor, Colic

Primary Conditions Treated

Worm Wound Aphrodisiac Bitter Bleeding CVI Hemostat Rubefacient Vasoconstrictor Vermifuge Vulnerary Acne Adenoma Adenopathy Ague Alactea Allergy Alopecia Amenorrhea Anemia Arthrosis Asthma Ataxia BPH Bacteria Bladder Stone Bronchosis Bug Bite Burn Cachexia Calculus Cancer breast ear lung mouth spleen stomach womb Carcinoma Catarrh Childbirth Cholangosis Cholecystosis Cholera Colitis Congestion Constipation Convulsion Cramp Cystosis Dandruff Dermatosis Diabetes Diarrhea Dropsy Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dyspnea Dysuria Eczema Edema Endothelioma Enterosis Epistaxis Epithelioma Erysipelas Erythema Escherichia Exanthema Fever Flu Fungus Gastrosis Goiter Gonorrhea Gout Gravel Hay Fever Headache Hematuria Hemoptysis Hemorrhoid Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure HIV Hives Hyperglycemia Hypoglycemia Infection Inflammation Itch Jaundice Kidney Stone Lethargy Leukorrhea Malaria Melaena Menorrhagia Mycosis Myocardiopathy Myosis Nephrosis Neuralgia Nocturia Osteoarthrosis Osteoporosis Otosis Pain Palsy Paralysis Parotosis Parturition Pertussis Pharyngosis Pleurisy Pollakisuria Polyp Pregnancy Prostatosis Rheumatism Rhinosis Sarcoma Sciatica Shigella Side Ache Sore Throat Splenosis Sprain Sting Stomachache Stomatosis Stone Swelling Tendinitis Tuberculosis Tumor Uremia Urticaria Uterosis UTI Vaginosis VD Vertigo Virus

General Dosage

3–4 tsp shoot/cup water several ×/day; 3–4 tsp shoot or leaf in 150 ml boiling water cooled, 3–4 ×/day; 9 g leaf/day for arthrosis; 3–6 g dry leaf; 4.5 g dry leaf:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water; 4–6 g root/day; 4–6 g powdered root/cup water; 4–6 g dry root/day; 3–6 g root/day or 600–1200 mg/day 5:1 extract for BPH; 4–9 ml fluid root extract/day; 2–6 ml root tincture 3 ×/day; 3–4 tsp herb in hot tea; 2–4 g dry herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 8–12 g dry herb/day; 3–4 ml liquid herb extract 3 ×/day; 2.5–5 ml liquid herb extract; 3–6 ml fluid herb extract/day; 7–14 ml herb tincture/day; 125 g juice; 1–2 capsules 2–3 ×/day; 1 StX capsule 2 ×/day. 3–4 tsp shoot/cup water several ×/day; 3–4 tsp shoot or leaf in 150 ml boiling water cooled, 3–4 ×/day; 9 g leaf/day for arthrosis; 3–6 g dry leaf; 4.5 g dry leaf:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water; 4–6 g root/day; 4–6 g powdered root/cup water; 4–6 g dry root/day; 3–6 g root/day or 600–1200 mg/day 5:1 extract for BPH; 4–9 ml fluid root extract/day; 2–6 ml root tincture 3 ×/day; 3–4 tsp herb in hot tea; 2–4 g dry herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 8–12 g dry herb/day; 3–4 ml liquid herb extract 3 ×/day; 2.5–5 ml liquid herb extract; 3–6 ml fluid herb extract/day; 7–14 ml herb tincture/day; 125 g juice; 1–2 capsules 2–3 ×/day; 1 StX capsule 2 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 1. “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. None known for herb, rare GI upsets for roots. Herbage contraindicated in fluid retention due to reduced cardiac or renal activity, rarely causing allergic reactions. Adverse effects of root: mild GI complaints. The urtication can be painful and long-lasting, in some inducing a black-and-blue reaction. No fatalities are reported in the U.S. CAN cautions that amines are irritant. Because it is reputed to be abortifacient and to affect the menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. May interfere with blood pressure, CNS, and diabetes medication. Being a nettle fan, I had never heard of it before and was reluctant to try it when my friend Vic said that the root tea almost did him in. It’s almost as though he read the book, “Consumption of nettle tea has caused gastric irritation, a burning sensation of the skin, oedema, and oliguria”. Not for use in severely allergic patients, especially those with tendency toward anaphylaxis. Schulz et al. report on >4000 patients taking 600–1200 mg extract/day for 6 months. Only 35 showed side effects, 0.65% GI complaints, 9 dermatosis, and 2 reporting hyperhydrosis. No contraindications are stated. Varro Tyler cautions against self-medication with BPH. Whenever treating BPH, a practitioner should be involved. Base-line levels of PSA should be established before considering an herbal treatment. Even JAMA admits that there is no hard proof for any intervention in BPH. Since hospitals kill 200,000 Americans a year, and prostate cancer fewer than 50,000, I’ll opt for nettle tea and sitosterol-rich nuts as the drug of choice for prostate protection.

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