Blood nettle

Folklore The name urtica is believed to be derived from the Latin verb urere , to bum, most probably referring to the stinging action of the plant. Nettle is a fibrous plant and was used in cloth manufacture from the Bronze Age until the early twentieth century. The fresh young plant tops have been cooked as a spinach-like vegetable dish, and used to be brewed into a nettle beer in certain parts of the United Kingdom. The herb was known as a blood purifier which, in current terms, is a detox herb. The herb has a high chlorophyll content and has been used as a source for extraction of this natural colour (Bown, 2003 British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983 Graenwald et al, 2002 Hutchens, 1973 Shealy, 1998 Tierra, 1998). 

The nettle is rich in vitamins A and C and in minerals, particularly iron, potassium, and silica. Modern scientific studies have focused on its diuretic action. It lowers systolic blood pressure by increasing volume, die root treats symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by increasing urine flow and reducing residual urine. Nettle herb is also used for bladder irrigation and to prevent and treat bladder and kidney stones (see Chapter 66). 

Tartazine (yellow pigment), on the other hand, may cause typical histamine poisoning symptoms, such as reduced blood pressure, increased heart rate, skin hyperemia, itching, nettle rash, and runny nasal discharge. The symptoms occur due to degranulation of a large number of mastocytes as a result of ion imbalance, such as tartazine chelates zinc ions. 

Benzoin, Coriander, Mustard, Nettle, Dragon s Blood, Witch-hazel oil, oil of Pine. 

Formic acid—HCO,OH—46—occurs in the acid secretion of red ants, in the stinging hairs of certain insects, in the blood, urine, bile, perspiration, and muscular fluid of man, in the stinging-nettle, and in the leaves of trees of the pine family. It is produced in a number of reactions by the oxidation of many organic substances sugar, starch, flbrin, gelatin, albumin, etc. by the action of potash upon chloroform and kindred bodies by the action of mineral acids in hydrocyanic acid during the fermentation of diabetic urine by the direct union of carbon mon-... 

Animal studies have demonstrated that stinging nettle leaf may modify glucose regulation (Bnouham et al. 2003 Farzami et al. 2003 Swanston-Flatt et al. 1989). People with diabetes are advised to monitor their blood sugar closely and discuss the use of this herb with a qualified healthcare practitioner prior to use. 

Hypotensive, diuretic, and natriuretic activity of an aqueous extract of stinging nettle leaf was observed in anesthetized rats intravenously administered a continuous perfusion at a rate of 4 mg/kg per hour or 24 mg/kg per hour for 1.25 h. The decrease in arterial blood pressure was reduced by 15% at the lower dose and 38% at the higher dose (Tahri et al. 2000). A rapid but transient blood pressure decrease of 37% in rats was observed after intravenous administration of an aqueous extract of 25 mg/kg stinging nettle leaf (Lasheras 1986). In cats, administration of 26.6 mg/kg produced a hypotensive effect and bradycardia that was not compensated by administration of adrenaline (Broncano 1983). 

A fraction of a water-methanol extract of stinging nettle leaf produced a marked decrease of inotropic activity in spontaneously beating atria of guinea pigs as well as marked but transient hypotensive activity on the blood pressure of anesthetized rats (Testai et al. 2002). 

No effects on cell viability were observed in mouse white blood cells (splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages) treated with an aqueous extract of stinging nettle root (Harput et al. 2005). 

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