Herbal profile:
English name
Stinging nettle
Latin name
Urticaceae, mostly small stinging nettle (Urtica urens) or large stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)
Traditional uses
Traditionally, stinging nettle is used as a food (leaves in salads or soups, roasted seeds) or dried as a tea (leaves). Nettle tea has a diuretic effect, which is why it is usually used for urinary tract infections, lymphatic retention or urinary stones. Nettle can also reduce skin irritation and alleviate allergy symptoms.
Scientifically proven application(s)
Active ingredients identified to date include phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, rutin, isoquercitrin and tannins. Phenols and flavonoids can help to reduce the formation of free radicals. Some properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antioxidant, analgesic, immunostimulant, anti-infectious, anticoagulant, antihypertensive, detoxifying, against ulcers and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, supports skin and bone health.
Contraindication
Stagnation and oedema due to renal and cardiac insufficiency
When is it collected?
Spring to autumn
Which parts of the plant are used?
Leaves, root active part: herb
How is it prepared?
The whole plant can be fed dried or prepared as a tea.
Which parts of the plant are used?
Leaves, root active part: herb
How is it prepared?
The whole plant can be fed dried or prepared as a tea.
Trivia
Indicator plant for nitrogen-rich (over-fertilised) soils Important habitat for butterflies: nettles are a food source for many butterfly caterpillar species and an indicator plant for kidney problems and/or laminitis when horses eat them fresh
Sanoanimal Herbal advice:
The stinging nettle has a history dating back over 2000 years. It lives up to its name and everyone has probably experienced this for themselves at some point. Whether by mistake or when picking it for your horse – one wrong move and it starts to burn. However, this natural defence mechanism disappears after drying. Alternatively, you can reach for the plant with a slight upward movement without getting hurt, as the stinging hairs stand slightly upwards.
Nettles grow mainly in nutrient-rich locations around settlements or at the edge of forests. The stinging nettle is an indicator plant for nitrogen-rich soils and grows particularly well on moist, humus-rich substrates, which is why it does not need to be fertilised.
In naturopathy, stinging nettle is considered an all-rounder and can be collected from spring to autumn, with the main flowering period extending from June to October. Alongside birch, blackberry leaves, goldenrod, yarrow or juniper, it is particularly suitable in spring and autumn as part of a detoxification protocol, as it is known above all for its kidney-supporting effect and can therefore support the coat change metabolism. However, it is also possible to feed self-collected nettles in winter by drying in an airy place in summer, bundling and then storing them in a dry place. Bundling works just as well with goldenrod, yarrow or meadow chervil.
In horses that are prone to lymphatic deposits, the kidneys are not working as they should. Stinging nettles are also helpful in this case, as they have a diuretic effect and thus help to draw out fluids. For the same reason, they can also be fed in cases of laminitis to support the over loaded kidneys. The anti-inflammatory effect reinforces its use in horse prone to laminitis. If stinging nettle are eaten fresh in summer, this can be an indication of laminitis or weak kidneys. With its additional stimulation of the gall bladder and liver, stinging nettle deserves the title of “all-rounder” herb and should definitely not be seen as just a weed.
Sources
- Andi Clevely, Katherine Richmond (2006): Die Welt der Kräuter – Alle Kräuter von A-Z – Der große Ratgeber für Garten, Haushalt und Gesundheit. Premio Verlag. Slovakia.
- Claudia Dammers (17.06.2012): Brennessel – Helfender Tausendsassa. ATM Akademie für Tiernaturheilkunde und Tierphysiotherapie. https://www.atm.de/magazin/brennessel-helfender-tausendsassa
- Dr. med. Carmen Monasterio: Brennnessel – Synonyme. https://www.gesundheit.de/lexika/heilpflanzen-lexikon/brennessel-synonyme (zuletzt aufgerufen am 09.09.2022)
- Dr. Christina Fritz (2022): Forum Pferdegesundheit – Entschlackungskräuter
- Dr. Christina Fritz, Souel Maleh (2020): Zivilisationskrankheiten des Pferdes – ganzheitliche Behandlung chronischer Krankheiten. Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart. 2.updated edition.
- Cornelia Wittek (2019): Heilpflanzen Hausmittel für Pferde. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH Co, Stuttgart.
- Khuma Kumari Bhusal et al. (2022): Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review, Heliyon, Volume 8, Issue 6, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022010052 (zuletzt aufgerufen am 09.09.2022)
- Maria Fors (2009): Herbs for horses. Dept. Of Animal Nutrition and Management. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-6-350
- NDR (28.03.2022): Brennnesseln: Viel besser als ihr Ruf. https://www.ndr.de/ratgeber/garten/Brennnesseln-Ideal-zum-Essen-und-als-Duenger,brennnessel120.html
- Steffen Guido Fleischhauer et al. (2011): Essbare Wildpflanzen – 200 Arten bestimmen und verwenden. AT Verlag. Baden und München.
- www.wikipedia.org (2022)
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