(Latin name - Urtica dioica L.)
General News
The plant is distributed across the globe except the tropics. In Poland, it occurs widely in deciduous forests on the banks of rivers and lakes, gardens, meadows, roadsides, pastures. It grows to a height of 1.5 m, is partly branched, leafy diametrically opposed. Leaf blade heart-shaped, pointed at the apex, at margin coarsely serrated. Flowers inconspicuous, hanging together in clusters. The whole plant is covered with hairs and smaller parzącymi szczeciniastymi hairs. This stinging weed is very valuable and underappreciated plant.
Raw material
For medicinal purposes is collected well-developed leaves from May to September, and dried in natural conditions at temperatures up to 35 * C in the shade and przewiewie. The best raw materials are leaves before flowering. Sometimes the cuts are long shoots, and after a slight przywiędnięciu tears and dried leaves. The raw material can also be used żagiewkę nettle (Urtica urens L), commonly growing near homes and gardens. The raw material is also a root. Dry it in the temp should be about 50 * C. Leaves and roots kept cloth bags and paper bags, in dry, cool and dark.
The active compounds in the plant
The leaves are organic acids - glycolic, glicerowy and formic acid, vitamins A, C, K, B1 and pantothenic acid, flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, xanthophyll, chlorophylls A and B, protoporphyrin, phytosterols such as beta-Systerol, traces of essential oil, amine compounds such as histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin, minerals-mainly potassium, calcium, iron, water-soluble silica, trace elements, organic compounds and transients that increase resistance to infection. We found hairs parzących volatile components such as 2-metyloheptenon and antofen.
Action
Although the extracts of nettle only slightly only increases daily urine output, but by inhibiting resorption in renal balls, increase the elimination of chloride (salt), urea and harmful waste products. For this reason it is considered a plant flushing out toxins from the body, cleaning blood. "Clearly affects the metabolism of providing vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Both the leaves and roots of stinging nettle lower blood pressure due to their diuretic effect, as well as the relaxing effects on smooth muscles of blood vessels. They encourage better blood circulation, oxygenation of tissues and sprawniejszemu removing harmful waste products. decoction is antihemorrhagical action, to prevent bleeding from small blood vessels lary gastrointestinal tract, which is attributed to the action of vitamin C, flavonoids and tannins . nettle in it thanks to the content of iron increases hemoglobin levels and the number of red blood cells. Preparations from the leaves stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, have a Bile, facilitate digestion and absorption of foods and their utilization in the body. Reduces inflammation of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and countered less severe diarrhea. A very positive effect on pancreatic secretory function. It is worth emphasizing because there are few herbs with similar properties. nettle slightly lowers blood sugar levels and has a synergistic effect with other plants. The leaves and roots are the factors that stimulate the production of interferon and antibodies that protect the body against viral replication. Aqueous extracts from leaves and root acting on the scalp contribute to better hair growth. nettle root works a bit stronger diuretic than leaves and better removes chlorides, urea and harmful waste products. pantothenic acid, which large amounts are contained in the plant that makes her juice exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and accelerate tissue regeneration. The industry is using the list to receive pure chlorophyll, used in the manufacture of soaps and cosmetics. nettle can add to soups, omelets, as the stuffing, salads , make it a substitute for spinach. The villages were made with the soup.
Adverse reactions
In a few cases, larger doses of the extract of nettle can cause allergic reactions, irritation of the stomach, oliguria. The use of external allergic reactions are rare.
Application
Nettle leaf extract is used in mild inflammation of the urinary tract and gastrointestinal tract, too skimpy to pass urine, a subsidiary of urate lithiasis and gout (gout) in rheumatic disease and certain skin diseases, especially adolescence. It is also used in the gently running diarrhea of ??various origins, chronic gastritis and intestinal bleeding in a minor from the gastrointestinal tract. Decoction of leaves of nettle are used as adjuvants in the correction of deficiencies of vitamins and minerals in the body, to clean the scalp of dandruff and seborrhea as well as for irrigation in inflammation of the vagina and upławach. Better results in the treatment of dandruff and seborrhea is achieved by using drugs of nettle root. The plant contains compounds called sitosterol, which are recommended for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in the early stages of the disease. Do not remove the disease but reduce its symptoms.
Provisions
Decoction
2 - 2 1 / 2 tablespoons leaves Pour 2 cups hot water and simmer gently, covered 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes and strain into a thermos flask. Drink 1 / 2 - 2 / 3 cup 2-3 times daily after meals. Children with susceptibility to infectious illnesses administered depending on the age of 1-2 teaspoons 3 times a day, and 1-2 tablespoons of elder decoction 3 times a day.
Infusion
Used for preventive, for everyday use. Heaped teaspoon Pour 250 ml. (Cup) of boiling water and leave for a short period of strain. Drink slowly in small sips a cup in the morning on an empty stomach and 1-2 glasses a day.
Juice
Shredded whole nettle blend and squeeze the juice. An average of 1 kg. nettles receive 300-500 ml of juice. For such the amount dosypujemy 2 tablespoons of salt in order to maintain and is kept in the refrigerator. You should drink 1 teaspoon of the juice on an empty stomach in the morning before breakfast. After 2 weeks of treatment we do a week break. The entire cycle of treatment should not last longer than 4-5 months.
Stopping bleeding
Fresh, crumpled and smashed nettle leaves applied to the wound and covered with a dressing TOS.
Honey nettle
Equal quantities of leaf pulverized nettle leaves and walnuts in an electric grinder. Up to 500 ml of the heated liquid honey to add 3-4 tablespoons of powdered herbs and mix thoroughly. Taken orally at 1 - 1 1 / 2 teaspoon three times daily after meals as a means of enhancing immunity. It is especially recommended for women at risk of breast cancer.
Herbs for the liver and convalescents
Mix 50g of leaves on the nettles, burdock root, plantain leaf, and the 25g of peppermint leaves and bark of the buckthorn. Pour 1 1 / 2 tablespoons of herbs 2 cups of boiling water. Burn covered 20 min. Let stand for 5 minutes and strain. Drink 3-4 times half a cup a day between meals, with a history of viral hepatitis and in the final stages of recovery as well as gastritis, intestinal and biliary tract.
Bowel disease
Mixed with 50 g of nettle leaves, yarrow herb, and the rhizome 25g Ophiuchus (or rhizome pięciornika chicken herb), poziewnika herb, herb knotweed and licorice root. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of herbs 3 cups lukewarm water and leave to swell for 1 hour. Heat slowly to boiling, and after 5 min. strain. Drink 3-4 times a day 2 / 3 cup, treating it as a drug przeciwkrwotoczny, anti-inflammatory, przeciwbiegunkowy and treating inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis. It is recommended to be applied in parallel dodbytnicze daily infusions of herbal extract. At the same time take multivitamin preparations with a content team and the B complex preparation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria.
Herbs in the weakening of potency
Mix the 50g of leaves of nettle, marigold flowers, yarrow herb, and after 25 g of hawthorn fruit, St. John's wort, and licorice root. Pour 2 tablespoons of herbs 2 cups hot water heating and leave for 20 minutes. covered. Let stand for 10 minutes and strain. Drink - 2 / 3 cup 3-4 x dz between meals. State tax Vitamin E 2 x 400jm.
Dandruff Hair Care in
Two cups finely chopped fresh leaves or 3 tablespoons dried pour 2 cups boiling water. After cooling, add 1 cup cider vinegar 4% or guilty. Heated fluid to rub your scalp daily for 10 days. Decoction made from 2 tablespoons of dried nettle leaves soaked 1 cup of boiling water, rinse the hair after each wash. Decoction with 1 tbsp of nettle roots soaked 1 cup of hot water, rub your scalp every other day for 2-3 weeks. Treatment is recommended for oily hair.
Hair loss
Particularly beneficial for hair loss is to wash their decoction of the fresh root and nettle. After a few weeks, they grow back thick. 8-10 full handfuls of fresh or dried leaves, pour water in a 5 liter pot and heat to boil. Leave for 5 minutes. to the strain. If the roots are used, then 4 handfuls poured into cold water and left overnight. Then heated to boiling and left for 10 minutes until the strain. To wash the head should be in this case, use soft soap to wash.
Foot bath
After two handfuls of well-washed, cleaned and chopped fresh roots and stems and leaves, pour 5l water and leave overnight. Then heated to the boil. Use as a hot solution as soon as it is bearable and soak the feet for 20 minutes. Herbal odcedzać and leave the water. Bath after re-heating can be used 2-3 times. Alcoholic Liquor - roots dug in spring or autumn wash brush, cut into small pieces and fill them up to the neck of the bottle. Pour 40% alcohol and leave for 14 days in a warm place.
Something for the gourmet soup, nettle
A few potatoes washed and cut into small pieces, pour water and cook until it overcooked. To a larger pot pour 2 large handfuls drobnopokrojonych nettles, add the grated carrot large, mix and pour the hot brew of meat or bones. One onion finely, fry in butter, combine with soup. Pour contents of soup pot in which zagotowały the potatoes, boil. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and thicken with egg yolk mixed with cream (one egg yolk + half cup of cream) and acidify tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Longer to cook.
Tea from fresh nettle
Drinking tea from fresh leaves of nettles is recommended during the early spring due to its highest in this period, ownership of purifying the body. Fresh nettle leaves poured into boiling water (preferably in a thermos) and drinks after 10 minutes.
It is recommended to drink one cup in the morning on an empty stomach half an hour. before breakfast, and then one to two glasses per day. Drink slowly in small sips. The treatment adds a lot of energy to work. In folk medicine, it is recommended nettle tea with a fresh one-week treatment at the time against the diseases of the liver and biliary tract diseases and even guzowi spleen spleen, rhinitis and chronic stomach ulcers, intestinal ulcers, respiratory diseases, disorders of iron absorption which causes anemia and is recommended for people the tendency for the incidence of infection. In case of any allergies including hay fever, you should drink tea for a long time. It also helps to eliminate the consequences of degenerative arthritis and sciatica, with 200g of herb baths with a six-month period. Very good results give a decoction of wild swimming in the roots of nettles, in the case of lower limb arterial disease related to their stenosis. Described in the literature is also a case of cure by drinking the decoction of the leaves. skin eruptions of neurogenic origin no uncontrolled trials of treatment.
It is interesting at the end, I give the use of the aqueous macerate of the leaves of nettle in order to protect other plants from vermin. Recipe - 1 kg of nettle in whole or in 100-200g dried, poured into 10 liters of water. Fermented urine is diluted 10 times. You can pour it in the range of soil or plant roots by diluting 1: 50 spray the leaves and stems against aphids and przędziorkowi. Another provision - 1 kg. fresh nettles poured into 10 liters of water and left for 12-24 hours, not allowing for the fermentation. There is diluted for spraying against aphids. Success is guaranteed. Note - Do not change the proportion of nettle in relation to water, as this could damage the plants sprayed.
