Description
Green nettle is a herbaceous, vivacious plant of up to 1 m in height. It’s provided with stinging hairs. The stems are erect and quadrangular. Leaves are oval-shaped, toothed and pointy. Flowers are small, green and not very showy, unisexual displaced in racemes. Fruit is a dry achene.
The plant has rigid hairs that sting and are painful to the touch. These stinging hairs are hollow and have resistant walls and hold inside a burning substance that become harmless when it gets dry or if the soak injured part in water as hot as can be borne without damage. As it can be identified by touch, in some languages it is known as ‘herb of the blind’.
It is a weed of a cosmopolitan distribution. Green nettle prefers humid soils rich in organic matter. It blooms in spring and summer.
Part used
The whole plant and sometimes the root.
Indications
*Leaves
- Genitourinary infections: cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis.
- Kidney stones
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia.
- Whenever an increase of diuresis is necessary: edemas, oliguria, over weight with water retention, hyperuricemia, gout, hyperazotemia, edemas due to vein deficiency.
- Arthralgia, bone and muscular rheumatism.Anemia due to vitamin and mineral deficit, convalescence and asthenia.
- Diabetes.
- Hepatobiliary dyskinesia, cholecystitis, diarrhea.
- Pancreatitis (enzymatic production is increased).
- Skin conditions: acne, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.
- Scalp disorders: dandruff, oily hair, hair loss, etc.
- Stomatitis, pharyngitis.
- Vulvovaginitis.
- Hyperhidrosis.
- Hemorrhoids.
*Roots
- Prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, post-operatory conditions of adenectomy.
Bibliography
- Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Norman Grainger Bisset (Ed). Max Wichtl. CRC Press.1994.
- Plantas Medicinales y Drogas Vegetales para infusión y tisana. Edición española a cargo de: Salvador Cañogueral, Roser Vila, Max Wichtl.1998.
- Plantas Medicinales. Margarita Fernandez y Ana Nieto. Ed Universidad de Navarra. EUNSA 1982.
- Fitoterapia: Vademecum de Prescripción. Editorial Masson. 4ª edición.
- The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Therapeutic Guide To Herbal Medicines. Mark Blumenthal. American Botanical Council 1998.
.- Fitoterapia Aplicada. J.B. Peris, G. Stübing, B.Vanaclocha. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia 1995.
- Plantas Medicinales. El Dioscórides Renovado. Pio Font Quer.
- Guía de Campo de las Flores de Europa. Oleg Polunin. Ediciones Omega S.A. Barcelona, 1977.
- Jean Bruneton. Farmacognosia. Fitoquímica Plantas Medicinales. 2ª Edición. 2001. Ed Acribia. S.A.
-100 Plantes Medicinales. Max Rombi. Romart 1998.
- Catálogo de Plantas Medicinales. Consejo general de Colegios Oficiales de Farmacéuticos. 2003.
