Alstonia lanceolifera

Traditional uses of Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) have long centered on infusions and macerations of its fresh or dried aerial parts, especially the leaves and young shoots. Among Celtic peoples of Western Europe, Thomas Hill (The Gardener’s Labyrinth, 1577) recorded use of a decoction or infusion of the plant to “cure the red weal of fevers and to break the corporell humours,” while herbalist John Gerard (Herball, 1597) noted that the decoction “stays fluxes and hot fluxes” and eases “bladder and kidneys.” In the Germanic folk tradition, Tabernaemontanus (Eyn New Artzney Buoch, 1731) described an infusion taken internally “to disperse the melancholy,” while the Armenian medical manuscript of 1900 emphasized a leaf infusion “to thirst after waters” for urinary complaints. Across diverse regions, fresh leaves have often been used topically: indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast pounded nettle leaves into a poultice and applied it to swellings and wounds to relieve pain and inflammation, while Scottish highland healers used a rubbed leaf poultice for bruises, gouty joints, and insect stings (Erichsen-Brown, 1979; Moerman, 1998; Bennett et al., 2021).

A practical tea or infusion is easily prepared. Place 2 teaspoons (about 2 g) of dried leaves in a cup and pour over 250 ml of freshly boiled water; steep 10–12 minutes, then strain. Drink 1–2 cups daily. Alternatively, a 1:5 25% ethanol maceration for external use is a simple method: place 50 g of fresh, wilted or dried aerial parts in 250 ml of 25% ethanol and macerat e for 7–14 days in a dark place, shaking daily; strain and apply to sore joints or inflamed areas. Safety notes: limit total leaf tea to no more than 2–3 cups per day; avoid use during pregnancy unless advised by a practitioner; caution is advised for those with severe kidney or heart conditions due to potential diuretic effects (Blumenthal et al., 1998; ESCOP Monographs, 2010).

Active constituents linked with these uses are well known. Nettle leaves contain notable amounts of potassium nitrate, flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, phenolic acids like chlorogenic acid, and acetylcholine in the urticating hairs, together with histamine and serotonin that cause the characteristic sting but also contribute to topical counter-irritant effects. These components plausibly explain the diuretic, astringent, and mild anti-inflammatory actions historically attributed to nettle infusions and topical poultices.

Modern relevance includes continuing research on nettle for urinary symptoms in benign prostatic hyperplasia, as well as its use as a commercial herbal tea, supplement, and topical ointment in many countries.

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