Hi! What I have here for you today is another bite-sized piece of herbal medicine goodness :) ON THE WEEKEND?!
Alright, in this issue:
What nettle (Urtica dioica) does to a fired-up immune cell
Why “immunomodulation” is more than an herbalist’s word
The lectin that blocks viruses at the door
Science catching up to what tradition already knew :)
Nettle has a reputation as one of the most nutrient-dense plants you can steep in hot water. The leaves carry vitamins A, C, and K, a long roster of minerals including iron, calcium, and magnesium, plus a stack of polyphenols layered on top, all of which Bhusal et al. (2022) document at length. And because my mind has been on the immune system lately, (that sounds like it’s a peaceful little thought but I’m actually drowning in immunology in my DSc coursework, so you’re with coming me) I asked myself the question that kept tugging at me.
What does the literature actually say about nettle and immunity?
I went on a hunt. A quick google, if you will, that turned into something considerably longer.
One thing jumped out before I got anywhere near a mechanism. A surprising amount of the immune research on nettle has been done in animals. Fish, chickens, dairy cows. I have to say, I love that they’re getting their representation. The standout for me was the aquaculture work in Bhusal et al. (2022), where rainbow trout fed a nettle-supplemented diet showed higher lysozyme and complement activity and significantly lower mortality after infection with a common fish pathogen. I hope they’re feeding fish nettle. That would be nice of them, I think.
There’s more out there on poultry and dairy cattle too, and if that’s a rabbit hole you want to go down, say the word and I’ll go digging again. For now, I want to turn to the question I actually came for, which is what nettle does in us (the humans).
One quick thing before we get into it: if you want to get your hands on any of the herbs I talk about here, you can use my Mountain Rose Herbs link to grab them. Full transparency, I do earn a small commission on anything you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you.
NOTE : This article is for educational purposes only. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and it isn't a substitute for individualized care from a qualified healthcare provider.
