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Nettles, (Urtica dioica)
from the family Urticaceae is also referred to as Stinging Nettle,
Common Nettle and Greater Nettle. Nettle plants grow 2 to three feet
tall, bearing dark green leaves with serrated margins and small
flowers covered with tiny hairs on the leaves and stems. When
brushed, Nettles can inject an irritant into any skin that comes
into contact with the plant.
This stinging reaction is
caused by the plant hairs injecting a compound containing formic
acid, histamine, Serotonin, acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and
other irritants. This stinging activity is lost when the plant is
dried or cooked, and the tender tops of young first-growth nettles
are especially delicious and nutritious.
Found all over the world,
Nettles have been used as a vegetable and folk remedy for centuries.
Collected before flowering, Nettles were thought useful as a
treatment for asthma, as an expectorant, antispasmodic, diuretic,
astringent, and tonic. Applying an extract of Nettles to the scalp
was said to stimulate hair growth, and chronic rheumatism was
treated by placing nettle leaves directly on to the afflicted area.
The Nettle has a long
history of use. The tough fibers from the stem have been used to
make cloth and cooked nettle leaves were eaten as vegetables. From
ancient Greece to the present, nettle has been documented for its
traditional use in treating coughs, tuberculosis, and arthritis and
in stimulating hair growth.
Nettles are rich in chlorophyll and young
cooked nettle shoots, when cooked, are not only edible but are an
excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and
minerals, especially silica.
In one study, Swiss researchers R. Hartmann
et al. demonstrate that extracts of pygeum (Pygeum africanum
Kalkman, Rosaceae) and nettle root (Urtica dioica L.,
Urticaceae) partially blocked the action of two enzymes involved in
the body's production of dihydrotestosterone and estrogen. The in
vitro (laboratory) study showed that both pygeum and nettle root
extracts were effective in inhibiting these two enzymes
(5alpha-reductase and aromatase) and that a combination of the two
plant extracts was significantly more effective than either extract
individually in blocking aromatase activity.
Nettle root extract was effective only at high
concentrations, while pygeum extract showed "a much higher efficacy"
at lower doses. The combination of the two extracts (Prostatonin®)
was as effective as pygeum against 5 a-reductase and significantly
more effective than either against aromatase. This study supports
the use of combinations of these two ingredients in the treatment of
BPH. This is especially important because pygeum bark is both
expensive and limited in supply, while nettle roots are easily
produced on a large scale.
There are several clinical studies documenting
the efficacy of nettle root for BPH. Dr. Varro E. Tyler reported on
a paper from the 1995 Congress on Medicinal Plant Research that J.J.
Lichius and colleagues showed a reduction in prostatic growth
potential in mice with the administration of a high dosage of nettle
root extract.
Another study using saw palmetto berries and
nettle root extracts to treat patients with BPH showed an inhibition
of the testosterone metabolites dihydrotestosterone and estrogen,
thus proving to be an effective treatment. Some of the more resent
research on BPH and Nettles show that Nettles can interfere or block
a chemical process in the body that has been linked to prostate
disorders. As men age, free-floating testosterone becomes bound to
albumin in a process called human sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG),
removing its bioavailability to the body.
This chemical process is now believed to be
linked to prostate disorders. In several clinical studies, nettles
has demonstrated the ability to block this process which may well
explain its documented effectiveness in the treatment of many
prostate conditions. Since testosterone is a natural aphrodisiac,
and nettles makes more testosterone bioavailable for the body's use
by blocking SHBG, this may also explain why nettles has recently
been regarded with aphrodisiac properties.
Adverse effects from consuming nettle tea can
range from upset stomach to burning sensations in the skin,
difficulty in urination and bloating.
Although allergic reactions to nettle are
rare, when contact is made with the skin, fresh nettle can cause a
rash secondary to the noted stings.
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