How Stinging Nettle Alleviates Allergy Symptoms
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a superstar of the spring herbs. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll - acting as a blood builder and nourishing tonic. Nettle is my favorite nourishing herbal infusion, the alterative action keeps my fluids moving and inflammation at bay. My skin is clearer and brighter, and the flush of vitamins and minerals keeps my body optimized.
Stinging Nettle is native to North America, Europe, and Africa. Here in the mid-Atlantic states, we find nettle in large patches near streams and rivers and almost any open field. If foraging, pay attention to water runoff, proximity to roads and other pollution. Harvest with gloves and with great care as the plant delivers quite the sting which may not dissipate for 24 hours. Every time I get stung, my hand ‘buzzes’ for a full day!
Fortunately, the sting is deactivated by cooking or drying the plant. Nettle is a traditional ‘spring tonic’ plant, eaten steamed or added to soups, stocks, stir fry, and omelettes, or made into a ‘pesto’. Stinging nettle is an alterative (restores health and proper function of the body), anti rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, galactagogue (promotes flow of mother’s milk), astringent, diuretic, and nutritive tonic. The herb is cooling and drying.
So how can stinging nettle ease allergies? It’s not just the anti-inflammatory properties - nettles acts as an anti-histamine. Every spring, I drank my (almost) daily nettle nourishing infusion and skipped the OTC allergy meds. I would get a little eye dropper for the times my eyes needed that quick antihistamine relief. But it worked - my usual miserable spring allergy symptoms were remarkably better.
Then last October, while attending the American Herbalist Guild Symposium, I was fortunate to take a class with Dr. Glen Nagel, a Naturopathic Physician. He recounted his story of when he and his cohorts were experimenting with freeze drying herbs. They discovered pretty quickly that the freeze-dried nettle caused significant relief in allergy symptoms - and a scientific study quickly followed (1) that reported freeze-dried nettle as moderately to highly effective at alleviating allergy symptoms.
There has been much debate over the years as to whether only freeze-dried nettle or other forms of stinging nettle are effective. Personally, I experienced relief with both, and so have others at varying levels of relief for each method. The best way to find out for yourself? Try it! Try both! The theory is that the ‘sting’ must be intact. The tiny hairs on the plant, called trichomes, deliver several inflammatory compounds such as histamine, serotonin, oxalic acid, and acetylcholine (2). The repeated exposure to the compounds has an immunotherapy effect on the body, resulting in a reduced allergenic response. Note that this is for environmental allergies, not food allergies.
Another study was performed in 2017 (3), however this study used stinging nettle root (there is no sting in the root.) The study measured allergy symptoms, as well as biological factors that indicate allergenic response (eosinophil percentage from a nasal smear test, serum IgE, and interleukin IL-4, IL5, interferon- y). Both the test and the placebo groups showed a reduction in symptoms, however the eosinophil percentage was reduced by a significant level in the test group, which proves that stinging nettles results in a reduced allergenic response.
Stinging nettle is generally regarded as safe (GRAS), however this herb can be drying, especially when a person already runs dry. Counterbalancing with moistening herbs (such as marshmallow root or violet) may help. Additionally, nettle is a diuretic, so do not consume if already taking a diuretic. Nettle may alter blood sugar levels, so if diabetic, pay extra attention.
Where to purchase stinging nettle? These are just my personal recommendations, there are many options out there. (I am not affiliated with any of these companies, so I receive no benefit from recommending them.)
Dried herb - Mountain Rose Herbs
Freeze-dried capsules - Oregon’s Wild Harvest or Eclectic Herb
References:
1. Mittman P. Randomized, double-blind study of freeze-dried Urtica dioica in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Planta Med. 1990 Feb;56(1):44-7. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-960881. PMID: 2192379.
2. Ganora, L. Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry: A Holistic Approach for Students and Practitioners of Botanical Medicine (Herbalchem Press, 2009)
3. Bakhshaee M, Mohammad Pour AH, Esmaeili M, Jabbari Azad F, Alipour Talesh G, Salehi M, Noorollahian Mohajer M. Efficacy of Supportive Therapy of Allergic Rhinitis by Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) root extract: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled, Clinical Trial. Iran J Pharm Res. 2017 Winter;16(Suppl):112-118. PMID: 29844782; PMCID: PMC5963652.
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