FAMILY
Urticaceae

SPECIES
Urtica dioica

DESCRIPTION
Nettles have a vigorous creeping rhizome, serrated leaves covered in stinging hairs, and tiny flowers in summer.

HABITAT
Waste ground, hedgerows, woods etc, preferring a rich soil and avoiding acid soils.

USES
Nettles have a long history of use in the home as a herbal remedy and nutritious addition to the diet. A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used as a cleansing tonic and blood purifier so the plant is often used in the treatment of hay fever, arthritis, and anemia. The whole plant is antiasthmatic, antidandruff, astringent, depurative, diuretic, galactogogue, haemostatic, hypoglycaemic and a stimulating tonic.

An infusion of the plant is very valuable in stemming internal bleeding, it is aso used to treat anaemia, excessive menstruation, hemorrhoids, arthritis, rheumatism and skin complaints, especially eczema. Externally, the plant is used to treat skin complaints, arthritic pain, gout, sciatica, neuralgia, hemorrhoids and hair problems.

The fresh leaves of nettles have been rubbed or beaten onto the skin in the treatment of rheumatism. This practice, called urtification, causes intense irritation to the skin as it is stung by the nettles. It is believed that this treatment works in two ways. Firstly, it acts as a counter-irritant, bringing more blood to the area to help remove the toxins that cause rheumatism. Secondly, the formic acid from the nettles is believed to have a beneficial effect upon the rheumatic joints.

For medicinal purposes, the plant is best harvested in May or June as it is coming into flower and dried for later use.

This species merits further study for possible uses against kidney and urinary system ailments.

The juice of the nettle can be used as an antidote to stings from the leaves and an infusion of the fresh leaves is healing and soothing as a lotion for burns.

The root has been shown to have a beneficial effect upon enlarged prostate glands.

A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves. It is used in the treatment of rheumatic gout, nettle rash and chickenpox, externally is is applied to bruises.

Young leaves - cooked as a potherb and added to soups etc. They can also be dried for winter use. Nettles are a very valuable addition to the diet, they are a very nutritious food that is easily digested and is high in minerals (especially iron) and vitamins (especially A and C).

The plants are harvested commercially for extraction of the chlorophyll, which is used as a green colouring agent (E140) in foods and medicines.

A tea is made from the dried leaves, it is warming on a winters day. A bland flavor, it can be added as a tonic to China tea.

The juice of the leaves, or a decoction of the herb, can be used as a rennet substitute in curdling plant milks.

CAUTIONS
The leaves of the plants have stinging hairs, causing irritation to the skin. This action is neutralized by heat or by thorough drying, so the cooked leaves are perfectly safe and nutritious. However, only young leaves should be used because older leaves develop gritty particles called cystoliths which act as an irritant to the kidneys.