We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Urtica Urens?

Karyn Maier
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 9,927
Share

Urtica urens is the botanical name for an annual herbaceous plant native to Europe and Asia and now naturalized in most of North America. It is related to the perennial common stinging nettle, but is much shorter and more compact. As such, it is known by various common names that distinguish it from its larger cousin, such as dwarf nettle, small nettle, and lesser nettle. What the plant comparatively lacks in stature it makes up for in stinging capacity since its leaves have a greater number of trichomes, or stinging hairs. This attribute may also mean that this species has more therapeutic value to offer since each needle-like injector stands ready to deliver a variety of pharmaceutical agents, namely serotonin, histamine, and acetylcholine.

While it may seem like this plant is something to be avoided, many people deliberately provoke it into surrendering its chemical compounds directly into their skin. All it takes to make this happen is to lightly press a finger to a hair tip, or simply brush against the leaf. This practice is known as urtication, or by the particularly colorful term, flogging with nettles. Contrary to popular belief, though, the plant doesn’t relinquish the entire stinger, only its tip.

The reward for engaging urtica urens in this manner is to actually counteract pain rather than produce it. In fact, many enthusiasts of natural medicine consider this an effective home herbal remedy for a variety of painful inflammatory disorders, such as arthritis and rheumatism. The mechanism behind this action is owing to the constituents found in the stinging hairs, all of which act as neurotransmitters to regulate signals between nerve cells and other cells. The end result produces temporary paraesthesia, a burning “pins and needle” sensation at the site of entry. Perhaps this is why this particular species is also known by the nicknames burn nettle and burn hazel.

There are several modes of administration for urtica urens. Topical formulations utilize the essential oil of the plant and are used to soothe various skin troubles, such as hives, rashes, and minor burns. Some encapsulated herbal remedies and liquid tinctures include nettle extracts for the treatment of gout, kidney stones, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and decreased milk production in nursing mothers. Urtica urens is also used in homeopathic medicine to treat many of the conditions listed above, as well as chickenpox and adverse reactions to eating shellfish. While the internal use of this herb is usually regarded as safe, allergic reactions may occur in some individuals.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Karyn Maier
By Karyn Maier
Contributing articles to WiseGeek is just one of Karyn Maier's many professional pursuits. Based in New York's Catskill Mountain region, Karyn is also a magazine writer, columnist, and author of four books. She specializes in topics related to green living and botanical medicine, drawing from her extensive knowledge to create informative and engaging content for readers.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Karyn Maier
Karyn Maier
Contributing articles to WiseGeek is just one of Karyn Maier's many professional pursuits. Based in New York's Catskill...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-urtica-urens.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.