Stinging nettle
Scientific names: Urtica dioica, Urtica urens
Family: Urticaceae
Alternate names: Bichu, Common Nettle, Feuille d'Ortie, Graine d'Ortie, Grande Ortie, Great Stinging Nettle, Nettle, Nettle Leaf, Nettle Seed, Nettle Worth, Nettles, Ortie, Ortie Brûlante, Ortie des Jardins, Ortie Dioïque, Ortie Méchante, Ortiga, Small Nettle, Stinging Nettles, Urtica, Urticae Herba et Folium, Urticae Radix
Actions: Antiallergy, Analgesic, Anticancer, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Antiviral, Cardiovascular, CNS, Hypoglycemic, Prostate-related
Background
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a plant with pointed leaves and white to yellowish flowers. The root and above ground parts are used for diabetes.
The stinging nettle plant is typically 2-4 meters tall. It contains ingredients that might decrease swelling and increase urination. The leaves are sometimes eaten as a cooked vegetable.
Stinging nettle is most commonly used for diabetes and osteoarthritis. It is also sometimes used for urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, enlarged prostate, hay fever, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) with white dead nettle (Lamium album).
The stinging nettle plant is typically 2-4 meters tall. It contains ingredients that might decrease swelling and increase urination. The leaves are sometimes eaten as a cooked vegetable.
Stinging nettle is most commonly used for diabetes and osteoarthritis. It is also sometimes used for urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, enlarged prostate, hay fever, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) with white dead nettle (Lamium album).
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Stinging nettle is possibly safe when used for up to 1 year. It might cause diarrhea, constipation, and upset stomach in some people.
When applied to the skin: Stinging nettle is possibly safe. Touching the stinging nettle plant can cause skin irritation.
Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if stinging nettle is safe to use during breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
When applied to the skin: Stinging nettle is possibly safe. Touching the stinging nettle plant can cause skin irritation.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy: Stinging nettle is likely unsafe to take during pregnancy. It might stimulate uterine contractions and cause a miscarriage.Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if stinging nettle is safe to use during breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
- Diabetes. Taking stinging nettle by mouth seems to reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Dosing & administration
There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of stinging nettle might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Lithium
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Stinging nettle might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking stinging nettle might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Stinging nettle might lower blood sugar levels. Taking stinging nettle along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Warfarin (Coumadin)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Stinging nettle above ground parts contain large amounts of vitamin K. Vitamin K is used by the body to help blood clot. By helping the blood clot, stinging nettle might decrease the effects of warfarin. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin might need to be changed.
Water pills (Diuretic drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Stinging nettle can decrease potassium levels. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium levels. Taking stinging nettle along with "water pills" might make potassium levels drop too low.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: Stinging nettle might lower blood sugar. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might lower blood sugar too much. Examples of supplements with this effect include aloe, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, chromium, and prickly pear cactus.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Products
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Per 5 mL:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) ext. 1 mL
- Iron amino acid chelate 25 mg equiv. iron 5 mg
- Withania somnifera ext. 120 mg
- Codonopsis pilosula ext. 1 mL
- Glycyrrhiza glabra ext. 125 mg
- Zingiber officinale ext. 0.1 mL
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 2.5 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 2.5 mg equiv. pyridoxine 2 mg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 1.5 μg
Practitioner product
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Practitioner product
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Per capsule:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) ext. 104 mg
- Serenoa repens ext. 107 mg
- Crateva magna ext. 90 mg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) ext. 93.75 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 546 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 500 mg
- Zinc gluconate 57.43 mg equiv. zinc 7.5 mg
- Retinyl acetate 206.4 μg equiv. vitamin A 175 μg RE
- Biotin 500 μg
- Copper gluconate 2.7 mg equiv. copper 375 μg
- Silica - colloidal anhydrous 26.7 mg equiv. silicon 12.5 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 187.5 mg
- Folic acid 125 μg
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Per 10 mL:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) ext. equiv. dry 888 mg
- Crataegus monogyna ext. equiv. dry 711 mg
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. equiv. dry 711 mg
- Eleutherococcus senticosus ext. equiv. dry 533 mg
- Petroselinum crispum ext. equiv. dry 888 mg
- Trifolium pratense ext. equiv. dry 711 mg
- Euphrasia officinalis ext. equiv. dry 711 mg
- Taraxacum officinale ext. equiv. dry 711 mg
- Avena sativa ext. equiv. dry 355 mg
- Equisetum arvense ext. equiv. dry 355 mg
- Vaccinium myrtillus ext. equiv. dry 107 mg
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext. equiv. dry 71 mg
- Cinnamomum verum ext. equiv. dry 71 mg
- Syzygium aromaticum ext. equiv. dry 18 mg
- Mentha x piperita oil
- Pimpinella anisum oil
- Glycerol
Practitioner product
Per 10 g (Berry Burst):
- Urtica dioica (Nettle)
- Rubus idaeus
- Medicago sativa
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Spinacia oleracea
- Petroselinum crispum
- Fagopyrum esculentum (leaf)
- Chlorella vulgaris powder
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
- Malus (Apple)
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Pyrus communis (Pear)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Citrus aurantiifolia (Lime)
- Euterpe oleracea (berry) ext. (Acai)
- Mentha x piperita
- Camellia sinensis
- Apium graveolens
- Cucumis sativus
- Magnesium citrate
- Potassium citrate
- L-glutamine
- Calcium citrate
- Natural flavours
- Taraxacum officinale (leaf) ext. dry
- Eleutherococcus senticosus ext. dry
- Curcuma longa ext. dry
- Withania somnifera ext. dry
- Camellia sinensis ext. dry
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext. dry
- Aloe barbadensis ext. dry
- Gardenia jasminoides ext. dry
- Piper nigrum ext. dry
- Magnesium gluconate
- Apple pectin
- L-alanine
- Xanthan gum
- L-histidine
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Potassium ascorbate (Vitamin C)
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Zinc gluconate
- Ferrous fumarate
- Manganese citrate
- Selenomethionine
- Vitamin D
- Chromium picolinate
- Acacia sp. (fibre)
200 g Berry Burst
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Per 7 g:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle)
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Inulin (Dietary fibre)
- Acacia sp. (gum)
- Fagopyrum esculentum (leaf)
- Fragaria ananassa (Strawberry)
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Malus (Apple)
- Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon)
- Siraitia grosvenorii (Monk fruit)
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Lycium barbarum (fruit)
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
- Curcuma longa (rhizome)
- Malpighia glabra (fruit) powder
- Medicago sativa
- Punica granatum
- Rubus idaeus
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Fructooligosaccharides
- Pyrus communis (Pear)
- Lentinula edodes
- Mentha x piperita
- Laminaria digitara (Kelp)
- Green banana starch
- Oryza sativa (Rice fibre)
- Xanthan gum
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer’s yeast)
- Rhodophyta (Red seaweed)
- Berry flavour
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Per 5 g:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) (leaf) powder
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Wheatgrass powder
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Artichoke inulin
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Malus (Apple)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Amaranth powder
- Quinoa (sprout) powder
- Sea mineral complex
- Taraxacum officinale ext.
- Silybum marianum ext.
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext.
- Opuntia ficus indica (cladode) (Prickly pear)
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Stevia rebaubiana (leaf) ext.
- Mint flavour
- Medicago sativa
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
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Per tea bag:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) (leaf)
- Curcuma longa (root)
- Zingiber officinale (root)
- Alpinia galanga (root)
- Arctium lappa (root)
- Orange oil
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
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Per 15 mL:
- Urtica dioica (Nettle) ext. 1 mL
- Centella asiatica ext. 16.7 mg
- Echinacea purpurea ext. 21 mg
- Eleutherococcus senticosus ext. 20 mg
- Gentiana lutea ext. 66.7 µL
- Ilex paraguariensis ext. 66.7 mg
- Astragalus membranaceus ext. 100 mg
- Cynara scolymus ext. 41.7 mg
- Echinacea purpurea ext. 23.4 µL
- Ginkgo biloba ext. 6.7 mg
- Glycyrrhiza glabra ext. 62.5 mg
- Smilax ornata ext. 83.3 mg
- Zingiber officinale ext. 66.7 µL
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Per cup (Loose Leaf):
100 cups Loose Leaf
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100 cups Loose Leaf
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This monograph was last reviewed on 04/07/2024 10:00:00 and last updated on 22/07/2020 20:11:59. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
