Nettle Infusion
Nettle has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for a variety of different ailments. Lesser known is its use as a sustainable source of fiber for textiles and as a nutritious and delicious food. It is often maligned because of its sting and because it usually grows where its not wanted; to most people, the common nettle is merely an irritating weed. This is a shame, because this wild plant appears to have a lot to give, as a food and as a healing herb.
What is Nettle?
Nettle or Stinging Nettle is found all over the world. It is a common perennial herb of which there are 6 known varieties. The Latin name for nettle is Urtica dioica. Urtica is also the Latin for ‘hives’ - which makes sense as one thing we do know is that when you get stung by nettle it does indeed causes hives (raised itchy, stinging and inflammed bumps on the skin.) The medical name for hives is also urticaria, so you can see the connection.
How does Nettle Sting?
Nettles have tiny little hairs called trichomes that get embedded in the skin and inject a concoction of chemicals (venom) causing irritation and ongoing discomfort. It was thought that formic acid was the main chemical to cause the sting but studies have found that it is in such minute amounts, this is unlikely. Instead the ongoing inflammation and pain is put down to histamine, acetylchlorine and serotonin. Researchers have also linked tartaric and oxalic acid (found in some species) to the unrelenting pain of a nettle sting.
Nettle; Folk Law and Traditional Uses
Nettle as Food
One study looked at the nutritional composition of 100g of cooked nettle leaf and found that, “processed nettle can supply 90%–100% of vitamin A (including vitamin A as β-carotene) and is a good source of dietary calcium, iron, and protein. We recommend fresh or processed nettle as a high-protein, low-calorie source of essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins particularly in vegetarian, diabetic, or other specialized diets.”
Nettle as Fabric
Nettle has a long history of use as a fiber for use in textiles. According to this article, nettle has been used in clothing for thousands of years, with the earliest records dating back to the Bronze Age in Voldtofte, Denmark.
There are only three species of fiber producing nettle; these include European nettle, Ramie and Himalayan Nettle. Out of the three, Himalayan nettle is the easiest to grow. Nettle is more sustainable to grow than cotton as it requires less pesticides and water.
Nettle in Herbal Medicine
Nettle has been used throughout history to treat common ailments.
According to Culpepper (circa 1653) Nettle is;
An expectorant, “the roots or leaves boiled, or the juice of either of them…made into an electuary with honey or sugar, is a safe and sure medicine to open the pipes and passages of the lungs, obstruction in which is the cause of shortness of breath, and helps to expectorate touch phlegm…’
Relieves a sore throat; “heals and tempers the soreness and inflammation of the mouth and throat.’
A diuretic or ‘provokes urine.’
An antidote for poisoning from animals and plants. It was also used to treat skin infections and ‘is very good to wash either old, rotten, or stinking, sores; fistulas and gangrenes…and itch, in any part of the body.’
Relieves joint pain ‘A handful of green nettles, and another of wall-wort, or Dane-wort, bruised and applied simply of themselves, to the gout, sciatica, or joint aches, in any part, has been found to be an admirable help in complaints of this nature.’
According to the authors of Hedgerow Medicine
Nettle was the Anglo-Saxon sacred herb, wergulu, and in medieval times nettle beer was drunk for rheumatism. Nettle tops helped milk to sour, as a rennet substitute in cheese-making. Nettle leaves brought fruit to ripening, and were used to pack plums; the whole plant is still useful as an excellent compost or green manure.
Nettle’s high vitamin C content made it a valuable spring tonic for our ancestors after a winter of living on grain and salted meat, with hardly any green vegetables. Nettle soup and porridge were popular spring tonic purifiers, but a pasta or pesto from the leaves is a worthily nutritious modern alternative. We find all but the youngest shoots rather fibrous, and prefer a purée, as in a nettle form of the Indian dish sag paneer.
Nettle soup is described by one modern writer as ‘Springtime herbalism at one of its finest moments’. This soup is the Scottish kail. Tibetans believe that their sage and poet Milarepa (AD 1052–1135) lived solely on nettle soup for many years, until he himself turned green: a literal green man. (Seal & Seal, 2008)
Nettle for Hair
Nettle has also been used traditionally for encouraging hair growth. A recent study found that a herbal extract made with nettle and other herbs were beneficial to forms of non scarring alopecia,
Recent Studies
Nettle as an anti-inflammatory
In 2016 a peer reviewed study looking into the topical use of a nettle gel in treating rheumatoid arthritis concluded, "The topical gel from methanol root extract of U. dioica may be an efficacious and safe alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but this requires further investigations to ascertain its safety and clinical efficacy."
Another paper published in 2016 stated, “Our results corroborate the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity of U. dioica, and could justify its use in folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatic arthritis and other infectious diseases.”
An article by Johnson et al (2013) published in Phytomedicine found that, ‘‘ using lipophilic extracts of the roots, stems or leaves of stinging nettle may be more effective then traditional tinctures (water, methanol, ethanol) to undergo clinical evaluations for the treatment of inflammatory disorders including arthritis. A chemical investigation into the lipophillic extracts of stinging nettle to identify the bioactive compound(s) responsible for their observed anti-inflammatory activity is further warranted.”
Nettle as an antioxidant
One study compared the antioxidant activity to synthetic antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and concluded that, “These findings demonstrate that mixing soybean oil with U. dioica extract can improve the quality of the oil during frying process.”
Homemade Nettle Extract
Nettle Infusion
I made a 25% active nettle infusion. To do this I simply mixed 25g of dried, ground nettle with 75g of olive oil and left to sit on the window sill. I shook the mixture daily. Usually it only needs approximately 6 weeks but this was left for about 3 months. When ready, simply strain with a cheese cloth and store in a cool dry place. This oil infusion can be used in balms/ointments, creams and soaps.
Standardised Extracts
There are quite a few standardised extracts on the market, below is a small selection.
Stinging Nettle Extract PB - Sold by Crodarom and goes by the INCI Water, Glycerin, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract. It is a hydroglycerin extract marketed as an astringent/anti-bacterial, remineralisation/tonifying, and an anti-irritant.
Cider VNGR+® - by Lipoid Kosmetik AG, is a vinegar/glycerin extract of nettle and mallow with the INCI Glycerin (and) Vinegar (and) Water (and) Urtica dioica (Nettle) Extract (and) Malva sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract (and) Sodium Benzoate (and) Potassium Sorbate. Marketed as “a cleansing and refreshing pH-balancer, and is the perfect addition for the daily hair or skin care. It can be used for the following applications: hair care, sebum regulation, anti-acne, antibacterial, anti-blemish, anti-dandruff, cleansing, refreshing, conditioning / gloss, damaged hair, scalp treatment, bath & shower care.”
Common Nettle Glycolic Extract - by Greentech - INCI: Propylene Glycol (and) Aqua (and) Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract.
References
Effect of Extract of Aerial Parts of Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) on the Stability of Soybean Oil
Phytochemistry and Pharmacologic Properties of Urtica dioica L