The National Centers for Complementary and Integrative Health indicates that there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest stinging nettle can help treat allergies. However, in a 2017 study, researchers found that stinging nettle extract was no better at reducing allergy symptoms than a placebo. Older studies suggest stinging nettle may disrupt the allergy process by inhibiting the body’s histamine production and related inflammation. The current evidence for how effective stinging nettle is for relieving allergies is mixed. Histamine causes characteristic symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as inflammation, itching, and hives. Stinging nettle is a popular treatment for seasonal allergies, which occur when a substance, such as pollen, triggers the body to produce histamine. However, further human studies are necessary to fully assess the efficacy of stinging nettle for relieving arthritis symptoms. Some individuals claim the nettle can help with:Īn older test-tube study suggested that stinging nettle extracts may have anti-inflammatory properties and could assist in treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. People have been using stinging nettle to treat various ailments for centuries, and the remedy is still in use as a medicinal aid today. Stinging nettle hairs also contain a range of other chemicals that can affect humans, including acetylcholine and serotonin.

These hairs contain chemicals, such as formic acid and histamine, which can irritate the skin and cause stinging, itching, and redness. Stinging nettle features sharp hairs on its leaves.

Nettle & bone by t kingfisher