Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 Wood betony has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):
Rating Health Concerns
-kiziz Anxiety (page 30) Gastritis (page 195) Shingles (page 401) Sinusitis (page 407) Stress (page 415)
Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies)
Wood betony was used in European folk herbalism as a remedy for respiratory tract inflammation, heartburn (page 260), urinary tract inflammation, varicose veins (page 440), intestinal worm infestations (page 343), and failure to thrive. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 When steamed or simmered in water, nettle looks like spinach, and the taste is similar. If you like the taste, you can use them in soups or salads.
Nettle has many active or beneficial constituents including lignans, sterols (including beta sitosterol), polysaccharides, histamine, acetylcholine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carotenoids, iron, vitamin C, and silicic acid. The plant is also a good source of chlorophyll.
Most of the vitamins and minerals are located in the leaves, which also harbor the compounds that help prevent allergies. Lignans and sterols are found in the root. |
| Other studies have shown that nettle blocks the release of inflammatory chemicals.
I generally find that long-term use of nettle works well for chronic conditions such as arthritis. I also find it works best in formulas that contain other effective supplements for arthritis.
°*> Edema
Since the herb has a mild diuretic effect, it can be beneficial if you have water retention or swelling—such as edema from pregnancy or varicose veins. It should not, however, be combined with diuretic drugs. |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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 BPH (25 nettle root extract, 25 placebo). The daily dose was 600 mg of extract, and the treatment period was 9 weeks. The authors found a statistically significant reduction of SHBG and a significant increase in urinary output (44 %) and peak urinary flow (9 %) compared with a placebo.
Dathe and Schmid (1987) conducted a double-blind study in a total of 79 patients over a period of 4-6 weeks. The patients received the same preparation at the same dosage (600 mg/day extract) as in the study of Vontobel et al. The patients had BPH, but the stage was not specified. |
John Heinerman
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 NOTE: I'm deeply indebted to Darcy Williamson, author of How to Prepare Common Wild Foods, for her nettle recipes, which have been somewhat adapted to fit the needs of this book.
Nettles Ease Benign Prostate Enlargement
Prostate enlargement, technically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or hypertrophy (BPH), tends to affect most men past age 50. Sometimes BPH can cause painful urination. Often, it's just a nuisance or an embarrassment, causing frequent nighttime urination, an unfinished sensation or dribbling. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler
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 Nettle is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin E (one of the richest sources of the vitamin) and some use it as a dietary supplement. It is a mild diuretic.
Adverse effects from drinking nettle tea have been reported including upset stomach, burning sensations in the skin, difficulty in urination and bloating.
Oats
(Feel Your Oats/Kick Your Habit!)_
Oats are one of the latest nutritional rages. You can't watch television for long without seeing at least one commercial on oats, and supermarkets seem increasingly stocked with oat bran products. |
John Heinerman
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 Slenderizing nettle Ale
This is a nice thirst-quenching ale that I've recommended highly to those seeking to lose weight. It's a healthier alternative to diet drinks and diet colas, not to mention helping shed unwanted pounds from around the thighs and hips in particular.
Needed: 4 qts. nettle greens; 2 gals, water; 2 thinly sliced lemons; 3 thinly sliced limes; 2 oz. grated fresh ginger root; 1/2 tsp. powdered nutmeg; 1/4 tsp. powdered mace; 2 cups light brown sugar; 1 cake of active yeast.
Boil the first 4 ingredients gently in a large open kettle or big pot for 50 mins. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| I generally find that long-term use of nettle works well for chronic conditions such as arthritis. I also find it works best in formulas that contain other effective supplements for arthritis.
°*> Edema
Since the herb has a mild diuretic effect, it can be beneficial if you have water retention or swelling—such as edema from pregnancy or varicose veins. It should not, however, be combined with diuretic drugs.
Ofc> Gout
Nettle leaf is one of the herbs that has been used by European doctors to reduce uric acid buildup associated with gout. |
John Heinerman
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| Such herbs might include: alfalfa, beet root, chamomile, dandelion, evening primrose, flaxseed, ginger, hops, kelp, marshmallow, nettle, onion, parsley, radish, stinging nettle, turmeric, watercress and yarrow.
EXCEPTION TWO: A lingering or lifetime illness that demands the constant use of certain herbs. Goldenseal for diabetes and garlic for yeast infection are two that come to mind. |
John Heinerman
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| STINGING) nettle (Urtica dioica)
Brief Description
A perennial plant found all over the world. In America it grows in waste places and gardens and along roadsides, fences and walls in the states northward from Colorado, Missouri and South Carolina. The square, bristly stem grows from 2-7 feet high and bears pointed leaves which are downy underneath, and small, greenish flowers that grow in clusters from July to September.
Fantastic Hemostat
Nothing seems to stop profuse bleeding more quickly and effectively than stinging nettle! |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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| Brand name
Herbs or active constituents
IND
Rank A
RankB
TRx
T€ per
(dosage form)
(preparations) year
Prostagutt forte (C)
Saw palmetto berries (E) nettle root (E)
D
20
629
289
12752
Hedelix (FL)
Efeublatter (E)
B
21
647
280
1.584
Iscador (L)
European mistletoe (E)
F
22
689
261
14792
Felis (CT)
St. John's wort (E)
A
23
700
257
5660
Neuroplant (C)
St. |
Hemp TodayEd Rosenthal
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| Hemp is closely related to the nettle family, which includes ramie, an important fiber-producing plant of Asia, and several species of nettles having strong bast fibers.
The genus Cannabis is generally regarded by botanists as monotypic, and the one species Cannabis sativa is now held to include the half dozen forms which have been described under different names and which are cultivated for
Fig. 17—Chinese character ma, the earliest name for hemp. different purposes. The foregoing description refers especially to the forms cultivated for the production of fiber. |
Ruth Winter
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 WHITE nettle EXTRACT • Obtained from the flowers of Lamium album. See Nettles.
WHOLE FISH PROTEIN CONCENTRATE • Dietary supplement for household use only. FDA tolerance is less than twenty mg per day when consumed regularly by children up to eight years of age. When used in manufactured food, less than 8 ppm total fluoride content of finished food. For household use only. Package size, less than one pound. Less than 8 ppm total fluoride content of finished food when used in manufactured food.
WILD CHERRY • Wild Black Cherry Bark. The dried stem bark collected in autumn in North America. |
| HORSE nettle • Solanum. Bull nettle. Radical Weed. Air-dried ripe fruit of Solarium carolinense, a South American nightshade plant. It is also grown in Florida. It is used as a sedative and anticonvulsant.
HORSERADISH EXTRACT • Scurvy Grass. Armoracia lapathifolia. A condiment ingredient utilizing the grated root from the tall, coarse, white-flowered herb native to Europe. Often combined with vinegar or other ingredients. Contains ascorbic acid (see) and acts as an antiseptic in cosmetics. |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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| All experimental pharmacologic studies and several clinical studies of nettle root have used hydroalcoholic extracts prepared with relatively hydrophilic solvents, i.e., methanol or ethanol in concentrations of 20-60 %. The main components of these extracts include phytosterols, triterpene acids, lignans, polysaccharides, and simple phenol compounds. |
Ruth Winter
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| HORSE nettle • Solanum. Bull nettle. Radical Weed. Air-dried ripe fruit of Solarium carolinense, a South American nightshade plant. It is also grown in Florida. It is used as a sedative and anticonvulsant.
HORSERADISH EXTRACT • Scurvy Grass. Armoracia lapathifolia. A condiment ingredient utilizing the grated root from the tall, coarse, white-flowered herb native to Europe. Often combined with vinegar or other ingredients. Contains ascorbic acid (see) and acts as an antiseptic in cosmetics. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Other good herbs for allergies include stinging nettle and capsicum.
What to Avoid
Allergies are exacerbated by stress; physical and psychological stressors should therefore be eliminated as much as possible. Stimulants in the form of caffeine, cigarettes, and recreational drugs are particularly bad. Nor should the same foods be eaten every day. Too much meat, sugar, and refined carbohydrates can lead to a state of acidosis. |
Paul Pitchford
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 Remedies for dysentery: a) The beginning stages of bacterial dysentery and all stages of amoebic dysentery can usually be cured with raw garlic, b) Foods and herbs which treat acute symptoms of dysentery in general are: figs, soups of swiss chard, radish, eggplant, or yam; capsules or teas of golden seal (Hydrastis canadensis), nettle leaf (Urtica urens), or peppermint (Mentha piperita). A strong decoction of black or green tea is very useful (see "Tea," page 169). For treating chronic dysentery, either boiled tofu or a decoction of pomegranate rind is helpful. |
| Nettle leaf (Urtica urens) tea specifically encourages the renewal of intestinal villi, but it should not be taken while signs of coldness exist.
It appears that many schizophrenics have celiac disease.30 They frequently manifest similar digestive symptoms, and carefully controlled studies show that schizophrenics generally improve faster on a gluten-free diet.31-32
It is quite possible that among millions of people with sensitivities to wheat, a large number suffer from an inability to digest the gluten. |
| Especially helpful foods and herbs: daikon radish, sprouts, apricot (a maximum of five daily), lime, lemon, tofu, nettle leaf (Urtica urens), horehound (Marrubium vulgare). Follow DIETS B or C until heat is reduced, then shift to DIET A.
Mucus-type asthma: characterized by copious mucus; mouth is often held open; breathing is difficult when lying down; tongue coating is thick and greasy. Especially helpful foods and spices are: horseradish, lemon, lime, raw honey, aduki bean, alfalfa sprouts, slippery elm tea (Ulmus fulva), and the herbal formula below for all types of asthma. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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| Alternatively, a therapeutic bath can be made by covering three handfuls of chamomile and one handful of witch hazel, nettle, echinacea, or calendula with boiled water. The herbs should be covered and allowed to steep for about an hour. The herbs should then be strained and the liquid poured into a tubful of water.
Finally, adding a quarter of a cup of Epsom salts to four inches of bath water will reduce all swelling.
_Treatment Summary_
Ahigh-fiber diet, exercise, and eight 10-ounce glasses of water daily allow for elimination without straining. |
Paul Pitchford
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| Three-F Formula
Decoct a tea of:
One part fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare)
One part fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenumgraecum)
One part flax seed (Linum usitatissimum)
One part nettle leaf (Urtica urens)
V4 part licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) The formula is used for four weeks as an autumn tonic for the lungs, colon, and mucous membranes. (Standard dosage and preparation of decoctions are listed earlier in this chapter.) For chronic mucus conditions it is taken for longer periods of time. It is also an excellent nutritive blend during fasting. |
| To aid in restoring a coffee-ravaged small intestine, use nettle leaf (Urtica urens) tea, two or more cups daily, for at least six weeks. De-acidified ground coffee is most commonly available in supermarkets. Coffee makers which use a cold-water method to remove the harmful acids are also available from kitchen supply stores. However, coffee that is nearly as acid-free can be made without special equipment.
Acid-free Coffee Extract:
• Add one pound of freshly ground, organic coffee to eight cups water in a glass bowl. |
| Specific remedies for "hot" diarrhea (stools cause burning sensation in anus; yellow tongue coating, yellow urine, aversion to heat, desire for cold drinks): millet congee, tofu, mung bean, persimmon,* pineapple, and herb teas or capsules of raspberry leaves (Rubus ideaus), marjoram (Origanum marjo-rana), peppermint (Mentha piperita), or nettle leaf (Urtica urens).
The basic diet during diarrhea should be small meals that are well-chewed; especially helpful are gruels or congees of rice, barley, or oats, which can include other appropriate foods listed above. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 Other popular botanical medicines include Pygeum Africanum, Ur-tica dioca (stinging nettle), and Cemilton, a special flower pollen extract. Based on careful examination of the published literature, we would rate the relative effectiveness of these agents as follows: serenoa > Cemilton > pygeum > urtica. However, in certain situations one herbal approach may be more effective than another. In other words, even though we rate urtica lowest, in some cases urtica may produce better results than serenoa. Each plant has a slightly different mechanism of action. |
Kathi Keville
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 Prostate-Reducing Tincture
1 ounce tincture of saw palmetto berries lh ounce each tinctures of nettle root, sarsaparilla root, wild yam root, echinacea root and pipsissewa or uva ursi leaves 'V Combine ingredients. Take half a dropperful 3 times a day. For a maintenance dose, take once a day.
This research has been going on for many years, especially on saw palmetto. Compounds in this herb have demonstrated a remarkable ability to inhibit DHT, the hormone that causes prostate inflammation. |
Francois Couplan, Ph.D.
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 A concentrated decoction of nettle leaves saturated with salt has been used for curdling milk.
Whether eaten raw or cooked, it is always better to gather only the tops of the plants with the shoots and a few leaves. It is wise not to eat the old leaves raw in summer and fall, for their repeated use could produce lesions on the kidneys. Besides, their texture is rather unpleasant and they have a strong taste. Because of the stinging principles in the hollow hairs on the leaves and stems, ingestion of the plant has been known to cause skin and urinary disorders in susceptible individuals. |
Maesimund B. Panos, M.D. and Jane Heimlich
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 Urtica wrens tincture, made from the stinging nettle, is a soothing external burn remedy. It is best used in lotion form; one-half teaspoon of tincture in one cup of clean water. Pat on with sterile gauze, or apply compress moistened with Urtica urens lotion. Hypericum lotion and Calendula lotion ate also external remedies for burns; use whichever you have on hand.
Kay, a patient who is well acquainted with homeopathic first-aid remedies, recalled the time her college-age daughter, Margo, received a coffee scald while working as a waitress. |
the Editors of PREVENTION
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 Astragalus, Calendula, nettle, and Cleavers
Drink one to two cups of this immune-boosting tea daily for 2 to 6 months. "People tend to get warts when they are run down," explains Wingo. "You can't just work topically." After a month of drinking this tea blend, you should find that your skin is starting to clear, and you may feel less tired, she says.
As one of the important tonic herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, astragalus has been extensively researched by Asian scientists. Numerous studies confirm its ability to stimulate the immune system and fight viruses. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 Stinging nettle root4
Capsules or tablets. Take 600-900 mg daily.
Stops arthritic inflammation and pain; may prevent tissue damage.
Tripterygium5
Tincture. Take as directed on the label.
"Retires" tissue-destructive T cells. Contains chemicals more potent than steroids and cyclophosphamide.
Precautions for the use of herbs:
'Discontinue use of feverfew if any signs of allergic reactions occur.
2Do not use hoelen if you have a long-term illness that causes excessive urination. |
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