Stinging Nettle Family name: English Family name: Latin Urticaceae Urtica sp. Urtica dioca, U. pilulifera, U. urens Scientific name: Uritica dioca L.(2:265) Genus species Other names: Chepewyan:bek’ailhts’ii; Cree: musan, musanusk, assan, masanah (“itchy weed”); French: ortie; Slave: kotsi(2:265) Related species:
Body System Affiliations: Skin, urinary system, respiratory system, Ect
Botanical Description: Habit: Perennial (2 :265) Size : Up to 2 m tall (2:265) Can grow up to ten feet.(1:86) Arrangement : opposite Leaves (size and shape) : coarsely toothed leaves that are oval shaped bearing stinging hairs. The stinging hairs cover most of the stems, and there are more hairs on the lighter underside than the greener top of the leaf. Leaves have sharp tips and edges have serrations. Flowers: clusters of greenish flowers at the junction of the leaf and stem stalk. The female flowers are larger than the short male stems that are above the female. Fruit: Underground parts: distinctively yellow, widely spreading roots Personal observation and description: They grow all over the place, often in clusters, near trails and in most forest areas. Other: In coastal areas the plant blooms in spring and is shorter with larger leaves, while in the mountains they bloom in early summer and are shorter. By mid to late summer the flower seeds are mature.(1:186)
Ecology: Habitat: Moist forest edge or in any moist place, are found at low elevations up to subalpine areas. .( http://www.wildeye.co.uk/stinging-nettles Range: everywhere in the Pacific west (1:186) across North and South America, Greenland, Iceland, and Eurasia (2:265) coastal areas of BC, Washington and Oregon and inland in south and central BC.( http://www.wildeye.co.uk/stinging-nettles)
Ecological relationships: Red Admiral Butterflies lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves so the young will have a meal as soon as they hatch. (http://www.wildeye.co.uk/stinging-nettles) To treat the stinging and irritation from contact with the plant crush fresh picked leaves of yellow dock or curly dock, the jewelweeds, or sweet fern and rub them on the skin. Juice from raw rhubarb leaves can be made into a cooling poultice to put on the skin after touching a nettle. (4:47) I have often dabbed a little damp baking soda on my stings. I have heard that urine reduces the stinging.
Western uses/ relationships Food: A food supplement can be made by powdering dried leaves. These powdered leaves can be stored in the freezer for winter use. (1;188) Teas, soups, and it is commonly steamed or cooked Materials/Technology: Europeans fed their cows harvested nettles. (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/StingingNettlech.html)
Medicine: Part used: leaves Medicinal actions: Bitter, diuretic, hemostatic, anti-tumor,anti-septic, emmanagogue (facilitates and regularizes menstrual flow), expectorant (stimulates mucous from lungs and throat to come out), vermafuge (destroys worms), anti spasmodic, “anti-inflammatory astringent for simple redness and irritation of the mucosa.” (1:188) Astrigent, tonic, and circulatory stimulant (3:144) Indications: spasm, cramping, some skin conditions such as if eczema is associated with poor circulation, parasites/worms, lack of appetite, premenstrual water retention, uterine bleeding, internal bleeding, arthritis, sinus allergies, eczema and psoriasis (1:188) (3:144) Anemia, gastritis, tubercular lungs, whooping cough, taken cold after delivery for afterbirth, kidney diseases, and hemorrhage. The young tops fresh are good for intermittent fever, gravel in kidneys, and excessive menstrual flow. “general alternative detoxifying agent which clears out waste products, strengthens the mucousa of the urinary, digestive, and respiratory systems, and when taken fresh works against the allergic response to hay fever. It prevents uric acid build up in joints and is extremely helpful in cases of gout, rheumatism, and arthritis. It is an astringent, which is useful for relieving excessive discharge and bleeding, and is diuretic and hypotensive. Nettle root is tonic for the genito-urinary system. It is a good prostate tonic and quite helpful for benign prostate enlargement.” (5:33) Other uses include treating gout, glandular diseases, poor circulation, enlarged spleen, diarrhea, and dysentery, worms, intestinal and colon disorders, and hemorrhoids. German researchers are using nettle root extracts for prostate cancer, and Russian scientists are experimenting with nettle leaf tincture for hepatitis and gall bladder inflammation (http://www.econetwork.net/~wildmansteve/Plants.Folder/Nettle.html)
Body system Associations: Skin, urinary system, Respiratory system. Constituents : Only the fresh plant has formic acid. Galacturonic acid, ascorbic acid, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, choline, acetylcholine, vitamins A and D, sodium, phosphorous, iron, potassium, silica, calcium, and albuminoids. (1:186)
Applications: teas, shampoos, skin, “The tea made of isotonic water can be used as a douche, enema, eyewash, and gargle.” (1:188)
Preparation/recipes : Basic teas of the herb either fresh or dried. Tea: prepare a cup by pouring 2/3 cup of boiling water over 3 to 4 tsp of dried leaves or dried root and steeping for 3 to 5 minutes. Drink three to four of these cups a day. An infusion can also be made with fresh nettle leaves. Always drink additional water along with the tea (at least 2 quarts per day). Cold infusion of fresh or dry herb. Decoction of the dried herb or seeds. A scalp and hair enhancer, to be used before shampooing, can be made by moistening dried seeds with alcohol. Then the seeds should be steeped in three times their volume of olive oil for a week before blending the mix and squeezing it through a cloth. Stimulates scalp and prevents dry scalp. (1:188)
Prepared as a glycerite weight to volumer for nettle is 1:2 for fresh herb, 1:4 for dry herb or root. The percent of glycerin in menstruum should be 90% for fresh and 60% for dry. (5:192) As a tincture weight to volume is same for glycerite. The percent of alcohol in menstruum should be 100% for fresh and 40-50%. Both tinctures have a dosage of 1-3 ml three times a day. (5:155) Tincture (root, 1:5): 5 to 7.5 mL three to four times daily
Pharmacy(how much how often): Fresh juice ,preserved or defrosted, 4-6 tablespoon doses added to 4 to 6 ounces of water, taken up to 3 times a day for a strong diuretic.
Other: Nettle leaves act as an astringent for all inflamed mucous membranes with excess discharge. They also act as a blood purifier and increase the efficiency of liver and kidney function. Acts as an alkalizing diuretic. Tincture of fresh plant or root 1:2, tincture of dried plant or seed 1:5 Contains lots of iron, chlorophyll, calcium, and potassium.
Cautions: “Overindulgence in nettle tea or the decoction made of the dried herb can result in a condition called “urticaria,” consisting of transient, painfully itchy red wheals erupting on the skin. If this occurs, discontinue use of the nettles, drink plenty of water and the condition will go away. Avoid internal use of nettle products made of mature ( summer or fall) leaf, due to the presence of tiny cystoliths (calcium carbonate concretions) that may irritate the kidneys and encourage formation of urinary stone. Using the tincture of nettle root occasionally produces mild gastrointestinal upset.” (Mathew Wood:179) Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, and hives (mainly from topical use). Because nettle can alter the menstrual cycle and may contribute to miscarriage, pregnant women should not use nettle, and lactating women should avoid excessive use of this herb. (http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/nettle.htm) Indigenous and Non western use/ significance/relationships Food: Young leaves can be boiled and eaten (2:265) Nettle broth, nettle spinach, and creamy nettle soup (4:72) leaves steamed or stewed (4:145) Soup is easily made by pureeing the unstrained tea content. Stir frying the cooked leaves with eggs is also good. (4:181) Materials/ technology: First Nations used the stems to make nettle string and ropes for fishnets, snares, tying fishhooks, and many other uses. Steeping stems and leaves in a bucket for 24 hours makes an organic pesticide against mites or aphids. (http://www.wildeye.co.uk/stinging-nettles) ( 7:185)
Medicine: "The leaf decoction can be used as a face wash to treat acne and can be drunk to treat diarrhea or intestinal worms. The stem decoction is taken specifically by men who have trouble urinating. The root decoction can be used as a wash to relieve the inflammation caused by touching the stinging nettles and can be drunk as a blood purifier, to stop internal bleeding, to correct menstrual flow, to keep blood flowing after childbirth, to clear phlegm from the lungs and throat, or to treat difficulty with urination. To treat asthma the root can be boiled and the steam inhaled using a blanket draped over the head to collect the vapors. The roots are part of a compound medicine for treating fevers or severe back pain.”(2:265) Indigenous Group: Native peoples from the Adirondacks to the Andes have made broth with nettles. (4:72) Parts used: Medicinal Action: Indications: Used a food for menstruating women because it’s so high in iron and nutritious. Energetics: heating, drying
Harvest : The leaves should be picked preferably on a warm, dry day because they need to be dried quickly. The dew should be burned off of it and it should be dried or tinctured quickly in brandy or vodka. The longer the tincture is stored, the more persistently it must be used. (2:489) Nettles cause a stinging sensation because there is formic acid on them which must be preserved quickly before it deteriorates. This formic acid has beneficial properties when used herbally. (3:482) The plant leaves can be harvested from mid spring to late summer. “The plant should be juiced in the spring and early summer, up to the time it begins flowering.”(1:186)
Preparation: Nettle tea can be made by filling a small sauce pan with fresh leaves and a cup of cool water. Cover the pan and put it on medium heat until the liquid comes to a boiling point. Remove from heat and leave covered for ten minutes before straining and drinking. Sweeten to taste. (4:181)
Storage: While the preserved juice should be used within six months, the dried leaves should be fine for over eighteen months.
Applications: Dab the warm tea on skin rashes, poison ivy, insect bites, or eczema. You can put it in a mister and spray on your face and hair.(4:181)
Pharmacy: Iron rich broth is especially useful to girls menstruating especially during puberty. Fill a small pot with leaves and bring a half cup of water to a simmer on medium low heat. After four or five minutes, you can eat the leaves like spinach or drink the broth. Or you can puree the content with carrots and onions to make a creamy soup.(4:72)
Cautions: Avoid harvesting in industrial or business areas where heavy metals, toxic pollutants, or other windborne pollutants may grow in the plant, and be transferred in the body. Harvest 50-100 yards away form public roads. Avoid harvesting by high voltage power lines that might trigger mutations. (5:53) (1:186) (4:146) brandi stone
Stinging Nettle Leaves
Propogation: Technique: Personal Experience:
Harvest Harvest : The leaves should be picked preferably on a warm, dry day because they need to be dried quickly. The dew should be burned off of it and it should be dried or tinctured quickly in brandy or vodka. The longer the tincture is stored, the more persistently it must be used. (2:489) Nettles cause a stinging sensation because there is formic acid on them which must be preserved quickly before it deteriorates. This formic acid has beneficial properties when used herbally. (3:482) The plant leaves can be harvested from mid spring to late summer. “The plant should be juiced in the spring and early summer, up to the time it begins flowering.”(1:186) Plant part : leaves Season of harvest: Method of Harvest:
Personal experience Food Materials/technology: Medicine Part used: leaves Desired Medicinal Actions: Targeted Indications:
Procurement: Source Condition: dried Procurement info : Application/Preparation/pharmacy :
Applications
References cited :
1. Moore, Michael. Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West. Sante Fe, NM Red Crane Books 1993
2. Marles, Robin, and Christina Clavelle. Aboriginal Plant Use in Canada’s Northwest Boreal Forest. Vancouver, British Columbia: Lone Pine Publishing, 2000. 3. Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. New York, New York: Dorling Kindersly, 1993 4. Baar, Karen, and E. Barrie Kavasch. American Indian Healing Arts New York, New York: Bantam Books, 1999 5. Green, James. The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook a home manuel Berkeley, California 2000
6. Hill, Donna . Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places. August 1998 Online at http://www.wildeye.co.uk/stinging-nettles visited on 10/29/06
7. Turner, Nancy. The Earth’s Blanket. Seattle, Wa: University of Washington Press, 2005
