Greater stinging nettle is native to Europe and Asia, while lesser stinging nettle is native to the entire northern hemisphere. Both species have been naturalized as weeds in many countries around the world. The drug material comes from wild occurrences in Bulgaria and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Nettle in herbal medicine
In herbal medicine, all parts of the nettle are used. Most commonly used are the whole or cut dried leaves (Urticae folium) and the whole or cut dried aerial parts of the plant (Urticae herba).
For urinary complaints, the roots of the plant (Urticae radix) are mainly used. The fruits or “seeds” of the nettle (Urticae fructus) are used only in folk medicine.
Characteristics of the stinging nettle
Stinging nettle is a perennial herbaceous perennial up to 1.5 m tall, bearing characteristic ovate pointed gray-green leaves with distinctly serrated margins. The leaves bear stinging and bristling hairs that cause a burning sensation when touched on the skin. This is also the basis of the generic name Urtica, which is derived from the Latin “urere” (German: “to burn”).
Small stinging nettle (Urtica urens L.), which grows only about 50 cm high, is also frequently used in herbal medicine. Unlike the lesser stinging nettle, the inflorescences of the greater stinging nettle are longer than the leaf stalks. The elongated flower panicles are yellowish in male plants and whitish to light purple in female specimens.
Characteristics of nettle leaves
Nettle herb consists of the strongly shriveled leaves, which are black-green on the upper side and light green underneath, with occasional stinging hairs, and the green-brown, strongly furrowed stem pieces. Occasionally, parts of the green flower panicles also occur. The proportion of inflorescences may not exceed 2% in stinging nettle leaves and herb, and the proportion of stem parts may not exceed 5%.
The drug material of the stinging nettle root consists of irregularly curved, about 5 mm thick gray-brown root pieces with a distinct longitudinal furrow. The root is hollow in cross-section, and the cut surface is white.
Odor and taste of the plant
Nettle leaves emit only a very faint odor, the root is odorless. The smell of nettle fruit is reminiscent of carrot.
Neither nettle leaves nor nettle herb, the fruits or the root have a particularly characteristic taste.
