Medical Benefits Of Nettle - Urtica Dioica
Other Common Names: Bigstring Nettle, Common Nettle, Common
Stinging Nettle, Gerrais, Greater Nettle, Isirgan, Kazink, Nabat Al
Nar, Ortiga Mayor, Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica
Range: Australia; Britain; Canada; Czech Republic; Asia; Europe; India; Iraq; Kurdistan; South Africa; Spain; Turkey; USA
Habitat: Waste ground, hedgerows, woods etc, preferring a rich soil and avoiding acid soils.
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.
Known Hazards: 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.
Other Common Names: Bigstring Nettle, Common Nettle, Common
Stinging Nettle, Gerrais, Greater Nettle, Isirgan, Kazink, Nabat Al
Nar, Ortiga Mayor, Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica
Range: Australia; Britain; Canada; Czech Republic; Asia; Europe; India; Iraq; Kurdistan; South Africa; Spain; Turkey; USA
Habitat: Waste ground, hedgerows, woods etc, preferring a rich soil and avoiding acid soils.
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.
Known Hazards: 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.
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