Nettle 196793 225776435 2008-07-15T10:18:43Z JAnDbot 1725149 robot Adding: eu, hsb, ja Modifying: es, qu, sv {{otheruses}} {{Redirect|Nettles|people with this name|Nettles (surname)}} {{Taxobox | name = Nettle | image = Urtica-dioica(Blueten).jpg | image_width = 200px | image_caption = [[Stinging nettle]] (''Urtica dioica'') | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Rosales]] | familia = [[Urticaceae]] | genus = '''''Urtica''''' | genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]], 1753 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text. }} [[Image:Urtica dioica.JPG|thumb|right|detail of flowering [[stinging nettle]]]] '''Nettle''' is the common name for between 30-45 species of [[flowering plant]]s of the genus ''Urtica'' in the family [[Urticaceae]], with a [[cosmopolitan distribution|cosmopolitan]] though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly [[herbaceous]] [[perennial plant]]s, but some are [[annual plant|annual]] and a few are [[shrub]]by. The most prominent member of the [[genus]] is the [[stinging nettle]] ''Urtica dioica'', native to [[Europe]], north [[Africa]], [[Asia]], and [[North America]]. The genus also contains a number of other species with similar properties, listed below. However, a large number of species names that will be encountered in this genus in the older literature (about 100 species have been described) are now recognised as [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonyms]] of ''Urtica dioica''. Some of these [[taxa]] are still recognised as subspecies. Most of the species listed below share the property of having stinging hairs, and can be expected to have very similar medicinal uses to the stinging nettle. The stings of ''Urtica ferox'', the [[Ongaonga (tree)|ongaonga]] or tree nettle of [[New Zealand]], have been known to kill horses, dogs and at least one human.<ref>Connor, H.E. (1977). The Poisonous Plants in New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 99. ISSN 0077-916X</ref> The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain [[formic acid]], [[serotonin]] and [[histamine]]; however recent studies of ''[[Urtica thunbergiana]]'' (Fu et al, 2006) implicate [[oxalic acid]] and [[tartaric acid]] rather than any of those substances, at least in that species. ==Species of nettle== Species in the genus ''Urtica'', and their primary natural ranges, include: *''Urtica angustifolia'' Fisch. ex Hornem. 1819. [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]]. *''Urtica ardens''. China. *''Urtica atrichocaulis''. [[Himalaya]], southwestern China. *''Urtica atrovirens''. Western [[Mediterranean region]]. *''Urtica cannabina'' L. 1753. Western [[Asia]] from [[Siberia]] to [[Iran]]. *''Urtica chamaedryoides'' (heartleaf nettle). Southeastern [[North America]]. *''[[Urtica dioica]]'' L. 1753 (stinging nettle or bull nettle). [[Europe]], [[Asia]], North America. *''Urtica dubia'' (large-leaved nettle). [[Canada]]. *''[[Urtica ferox]]'' ([[Ongaonga (tree)|ongaonga]] or tree nettle). [[New Zealand]]. *''Urtica fissa''. China. *''Urtica galeopsifolia'' Wierzb. ex Opiz, 1825. Central and eastern Europe. *''Urtica gracilenta'' (mountain nettle). [[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]], west [[Texas]], northern [[Mexico]]. *''Urtica hyperborea''. [[Himalaya]] from [[Pakistan]] to [[Bhutan]], [[Mongolia]] and [[Tibet]], high altitudes. *''Urtica incisa'' ([[scrub nettle]]). [[Australia]]. *''Urtica kioviensis'' Rogow. 1843. Eastern Europe. *''Urtica laetivirens'' Maxim. 1877. Japan, [[Manchuria]]. *''Urtica linearifolia''. Creeping or Swamp Nettle. [[New Zealand]]. *''Urtica mairei''. Himalaya, southwestern China, northeastern [[India]], [[Myanmar]]. *''Urtica membranacea''. Mediterranean region, [[Azores]]. *''Urtica morifolia''. [[Canary Islands]] (endemic). *''Urtica parviflora''. Himalaya (lower altitudes). *''Urtica pilulifera'' ([[Roman nettle]]). Southern Europe. *''Urtica platyphylla'' Wedd. 1856-1857. China, Japan. *''Urtica pubescens'' Ledeb. 1833. Southwestern [[Russia]] east to central Asia. *''Urtica rupestris''. [[Sicily]] (endemic). *''Urtica sondenii'' (Simmons) Avrorin ex Geltman, 1988. Northeastern Europe, northern Asia. *''Urtica taiwaniana''. [[Taiwan]]. *''[[Urtica thunbergiana]]''. Japan, [[Taiwan]]. *''Urtica triangularisa'' *''[[Urtica urens]]'' L. 1753 ([[dwarf nettle]] or annual nettle). Europe, North America. The family Urticaceae also contains some other plants called nettles that are not members of the genus ''Urtica''. These include the [[wood nettle]] ''Laportea canadensis'', found in eastern [[North America]] from [[Nova Scotia]] to [[Florida]], and the [[false nettle]] ''Boehmeria cylindrica'', found in most of the [[United States]] east of the [[Rockies]]. As its name implies, the false nettle does not sting. There are many unrelated organisms called nettle, such as: *[[Lamium|Dead-nettle]] (''[[Lamium]]'' spp.) and [[Woundwort|hedge-nettle]] (''[[Woundwort|Stachys]]'' spp.) which are in the [[Lamiaceae]] or [[mentha|mint]] family. *Devil's nettle, which is another name for [[yarrow]]. *[[Carolina horsenettle]] (''Solanum carolinense'') in the [[Solanaceae]]. *[[Cnidoscolus|Spurge-nettle]] (''Cnidolscolus stimulosus'') in the [[Euphorbiaceae]]. *[[Sea nettle]] (''Chtysaora quinquecirrha'') which is a [[jellyfish]]. Nettles are the exclusive [[larva]]l food plant for several species of [[butterfly]], such as the [[Inachis io|Peacock Butterfly]]<ref>Heiko Bellmann: Der Neue Kosmos Schmetterlingsführer, Schmetterlinge, Raupen und Futterpflanzen, pg. 170, Frankh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-440-09330-1</ref> or the [[Small Tortoiseshell]], and are also eaten by the larvae of some [[moth]]s including [[Angle Shades]], [[Buff Ermine]], [[Dot Moth]], [[Flame (moth)|The Flame]], [[Gothic (moth)|The Gothic]], [[Grey Chi]], [[Grey Pug]], [[Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing]], [[Mouse Moth]], [[Setaceous Hebrew Character]] and [[Small Angle Shades]]. The [[root]]s are sometimes eaten by the larva of the [[Ghost Moth]] ''Hepialus humuli''. ==Uses== [[Image:Urtica dioica fresh.jpg|thumb|right|A clump of fresh young nettles]] ===Medical=== Nettle is believed to be a [[galactagogue]]<ref>Westfall R.E., Galactagogue herbs: a qualitative study and review. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice. 2(2):22-27. (2003)</ref> and a clinical trial has shown that the juice is [[diuretic]] in patients with [[congestive heart failure]]{{Fact|date=May 2008}}. [[Urtication]], or flogging with nettles, is the process of deliberately applying stinging nettles to the skin in order to provoke inflammation. An agent thus used is known as a [[rubefacient]] (i.e. something that causes redness). This is done as a [[folk remedy]] for [[rheumatism]], as it provides temporary relief from pain. Extracts can be used to treat [[arthritis]], [[anemia]], [[hay fever]], [[kidney]] problems, and pain. Nettle is used in hair shampoos to control dandruff, and is said to make hair more glossy, which is why some farmers include a handful of nettles with cattle feed.<ref>Balch, Phyllis A., CNC, Balch, James F., M.D., Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Avery Press, p. 104 (2000) (ISBN 1-58333-077-1)</ref> It is also thought nettles can ease eczema. Nettle root extracts have been extensively studied in human clinical trials as a treatment for symptoms of [[benign prostatic hyperplasia]] (BPH). These extracts have been shown to help relieve symptoms compared to placebo both by themselves and when combined with other herbal medicines.<ref>Lopatkin N, Sivkov A, Walther C, Schlafke S, Medvedev A, Avdeichuk J, Golubev G, Melnik K, Elenberger N, Engelmann U. Long-term efficacy and safety of a combination of sabal and urtica extract for lower urinary tract symptoms: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-center trial. ''World Journal of Urology''. 2005 June 1</ref> Because it contains 3,4-divanillyltetrahydrofuran, certain extracts of the nettle are used by bodybuilders in an effort to increase free [[testosterone]] by occupying sex-hormone binding [[globulin]].{{Fact|date=April 2007}} Fresh nettle, specifically Urtica Dioica, is used in folk remedies to stop all types of bleeding, due to its high [[Vitamin K]] content. Meanwhile, in dry Urtica Dioica, the Vitamin K is practically non-existent, and so is used as a blood thinner. ===Cooking=== Soaking nettles in water will remove the stinging chemicals from the plant, which allows them to be handled and eaten without incidence of stinging. Young leaves generally have a better taste than older, more bitter leaves. Nettles can be used in a variety of recipes, such as [[polenta]] and [[pesto]]. Nettle [[soup]] (or Nässelsoppa in Swedish) is a common use of the plant, particularly in Northern [[Europe]]. Young nettle leaves are similar in texture to [[spinach]] and other leafy greens, and can be substituted for or mixed with other greens in recipes. The high protein content of nettles makes them nutritionally valuable for [[vegetarians]]. ===Paper=== Nettle stems are a popular raw material used in small-scale [[paper]]making. ===Textiles=== Nettle fibre has been used in textiles. This is more experimental than mass-market. Unlike cotton, nettles grow easily without pesticides. The fibres are coarser however.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/england/leicestershire/3857445.stm BBC NEWS | UK | England | Leicestershire | Student shows off nettle knickers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In recent years a little German company Stoffkontor Franz AG starts again producing nettle textiles. In 2007 they used 200 t nettle straw.<ref>[http://www.nettleworld.com/ Nettleworld<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As well being the fibre, Nettles were also used as a [[dye|dye-stuff]] in the medieval period.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==Safety== {{contradict-other|Nettles in folklore}} [[Image:Urtica dioica hairs.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Close-up detail of the stinging hairs.]] Though the fresh leaves can cause painful stings and acute [[urticaria]], these are rarely seriously harmful (but see remarks in the introductory section regarding the [[Ongaonga (tree)|''U. ferox'', ongaonga or tree nettle]] of [[New Zealand]]). Otherwise most species of nettles are extremely safe and some are even eaten as vegetables after being steamed to remove the stingers. Nettles can be picked painlessly by wearing a standard pair of washing-up gloves. Another common recommendation is to firmly grasp the nettle with the bare hand, crushing the stingers instead of allowing them to penetrate the skin.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Done properly, this is effective in practice, however due to a natural hesitancy when grabbing a nettle, first time practitioners close their hand too gently and slowly and so get stung. A traditional verse goes "Tenderly you stroke a Nettle, and it stings you for your pains. Grasp it like a man of mettle, and it soft as silk remains." The traditional remedy for nettle stings is rubbing with the crushed leaf of the [[Rumex|dock]] plant, ''Rumex obtusifolius'', which often grows beside nettles in the wild and has a milky substance which can cause [[dermatitis]]. [[Plantago|Plantain]] and [[Mallow]] are other traditional remedies. The alkalinity of the sap may counteract the nettle's acids. Nettle itself will release alkaline sap when macerated.<ref name="MHolden">{{cite journal |quotes=no |last=Holden |first=Margaret |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1948 |month= |title=An alkali-producing mechanism in macerated leaves |journal=Biochemical Journal |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=332–336 |id= |url=http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1258718&blobtype=pdf |accessdate=2006-09-25 }}</ref> While there is no scientific proof that this remedy works, searching for and using a dock leaf at least takes the mind off the stinging pain somewhat. Though unproven, some claim that dabbing mud on the affected area, allowing it to dry, and rubbing it off can remove the stingers. Another disputed claim is that the spores of certain ferns can lessen the pain by rubbing the underside of fern leaves, where the sori are located, on the affected area. == See also == *[[Lamium]], the "deadnettles". *[[Nettles in folklore]] *[[Mopiko]], a nettle rash cream. == Similar plants == There are further plants, showing similar effects [http://mic-ro.com/plants/#dir] * [[Dumb cane]] (Dieffenbachia spp. ) * [[Cowhage]] (Mucuna pruriens) * [[Cnidoscolus stimulosus|Bull Nettle]] (Cnidoscolus stimulosus ) * [[Croton ciliato-glandulosus|Ciega-vista]] (Croton ciliato-glandulosus ) * [[Stinging Spurge]] (Jatropha urens L.) * [[Noseburn]] (Tragia spp. ) * [[Giant stinging tree]] (Dendrocnide excelsa) * [[Dendrocnide moroides|Gympie]] (Dendrocnide moroides ) * [[Girardinia leschenaultiana|Nilgiri Nettle]] (Girardinia leschenaultiana ) * [[Laportea canadensis|Wood Nettle]] (Laportea canadensis ) * [[Tree Nettle]] (Laportea spp. ) * [[Urera baccifera|Nettle Tree]] (Urera baccifera ) ==External links and references== *[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Urtica&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Urtica''] *[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=134249 Flora of North America: ''Urtica''] *[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=134249 Flora of China: ''Urtica''] *[http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_name.php?ALLNAMES=nettle Plants for a Future database search for ''Nettle''] *[http://herbalgram.org/search/search.asp?s=urtica&x=0&y=0 HerbalGram and American Botanical Council website search for ''Urtica''] *[http://resist.ca/~kirstena/pagenettles.html Historical & Current Uses for Nettles] ==References== <references/> *Anderberg, Kirsten (2005). Folk uses and history of medicinal uses of nettles. [http://resist.ca/~kirstena/pagenettles.html Nettles, Nettles, Everywhere] *Chrubasik S, Enderlein W, Bauer R, Grabner W. (1997). Evidence for the antirheumatic effectiveness of herba Urticae dioicae in acute arthritis: A pilot study. ''Phytomedicine'' 4: 105-108. *Dathe G, Schmid H. (1987). Phytotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): Double-blind study with extract of root of urtica (ERU). ''Urologe'' B 27: 223-226 [in German]. *Fu H Y, Chen S J, Chen R F, Ding W H, Kuo-Huang L L, Huang R N (2006). Identification of oxalic acid and tartaric acid as major persistent pain-inducing toxins in the stinging hairs of the nettle, ''Urtica thunbergiana''. ''Annals of Botany (London)'', 98:57-65. [http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/98/1/57 Abstract] *{{cite journal |quotes=no |last=Holden |first=Margaret |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1948 |month= |title=An alkali-producing mechanism in macerated leaves |journal=Biochemical Journal |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=332–336 |id= |url=http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1258718&blobtype=pdf |accessdate=2006-09-25 }} *Kirchhoff HW. (1983). Brennesselsaft als Diuretikum. ''Z. Phytother.'' 4: 621-626 [in German]. *Krzeski T, Kazón M, Borkowski A, et al. (1993). Combined extracts of Urtica dioica and Pygeum africanum in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: double-blind comparison of two doses. ''Clinical Therapy'' 15 (6): 1011-1020. *Mittman, P. (1990). Randomized, double-blind study of freeze-dried Urtica dioica in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. ''Planta Med'' 56: 44-47. *Randall C, Randall H, Dobbs F, et al. (2000). Randomized controlled trial of nettle sting for treatment of base-of-thumb pain. ''J. Roy. Soc. Med.'' 93: 305-309. [http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/320/7249/1614 reported online in British Medical Journal] *Yarnell E. (1998). Stinging nettle: A modern view of an ancient healing plant. ''Alt. Compl. Therapy'' 4: 180-186 (review). *Healthy Life Magazine, Inc. (June 2007) p.78 [[Category:Medicinal plants]] [[Category:Urticaceae]] [[Category:Leaf vegetables]] {{Link FA|de}} [[ar:القراص]] [[bg:Коприва]] [[ca:Ortiga]] [[cs:Kopřiva]] [[da:Nælde]] [[de:Brennnesseln]] [[el:Τσουκνίδα]] [[es:Urtica]] [[eo:Urtiko]] [[eu:Asun]] [[fa:گزنه]] [[fr:Ortie]] [[gl:Ortiga]] [[hsb:Kopřiwa]] [[os:Пысыра]] [[he:סרפד]] [[ka:ჭინჭარი]] [[kk:Қалақай]] [[la:Urtica]] [[lt:Dilgėlė]] [[nl:Brandnetel]] [[ja:イラクサ]] [[nrm:Ortchie]] [[oc:Urtica]] [[pl:Pokrzywa]] [[pt:Urtica]] [[qu:Kisa]] [[ru:Крапива]] [[fi:Nokkoset]] [[sv:Nässelsläktet]] [[tr:Isırgan]] [[uk:Кропива]] [[bat-smg:Nuotrīna]]