Stinging Nettle Root
From Wikiwel
Other Names : Urticae Radix, Brennnesselwurzel, Urtica dioica, Urtica urens, Große Brennnessel, Kleine Brennessel, Brandnetelwortel
See also : Stinging Nettle
Health Benefits and Uses of Stinging Nettle Root
- Nettle root (Urtica dioica) extract is widely used in Europe for the treatment of prostate hypertrophy. In more than 20 clinical studies, this extract alone or in combination with other plants has been shown to reduce the clinical symptoms of benign prostate hypertrophy and prostatitis. The German Commission E and the ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy) specifically recommend its use for the relief of urinary symptoms related to benign prostate hypertrophy.
- The root of the nettle and the plant itself have been used in traditional medicine as astringents, diuretics and tonics. In the time of Hippocrates, the nettle was used to treat bites and stings. European herbalists used herbal tea made from nettle for respiratory problems, and American natives used it as a support during pregnancy, childbirth or during the lactation period.
- The imbalance between estrogens and androgens : It was previously believed that benign hyperplasia developed solely as a result of the stimulatory influence of the active form of testosterone (DHT, or called dihydrotestosterone) on cell growth. Testosterone is systematically converted to DHT by an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. This form binds in a much more active way to the areas of cells in the prostate that are responsible for the growth of the organ. When DHT binds to these cell regions, it activates growth factors called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These factors stimulate cell growth. Studies show that higher levels of this factor may also indicate the risk of developing prostate cancer.As we age, testosterone production decreases. In addition, the free testosterone level, which is physiologically active, decreases even more drastically because the connections with the protein SHBG (sex hormone Binding Globulin) increase. Between the ages of 40 and 70, the amount of free testosterone decreases by 1% annually. This indicates that there is another factor that contributes to the development of benign prostate hypertrophy. This factor is the imbalance that develops over the years between estrogen and testosterone levels. In the tissues in which a benign hypertrophy of the prostate develops, the amount of estrogen increases with age. The estrogens stimulate the growth of prostate cells.The role of SHBG is to ensure a dynamic equilibrium in the hormone balance. SHBG binds to other hormones and transports these hormones throughout the body to different receptors on the cell membranes, where the substances can be used in different ways. The effect depends on the hormone it has bound to and the type of receptor. For example, in men, estrogens and dihydrotestosterone associated with SHBG are usually transported to the receptor sites in the prostate; in excess, they can prompt prostate cells to accelerate growth, resulting in benign hypertrophy.In men and in menopausal women, most of the estrogen is produced from androgens. Estradiol in particular is largely produced from testosterone. This phenomenon is also called aromatization, after the enzyme aromatase that is responsible for this process. Besides the fact that the supporting tissue of the prostate receives estrogen via the bloodstream, it also produces estrogens itself under the influence of the aromatization process. The different mechanisms of intervention Certain fractions of nettle root extract inhibit the growth of human prostate cells, but the mechanism behind this inhibition, possibly involving lectins, remains unknown to date. Studies show that nettle root can affect or block certain chemical processes, such as processes involving hormones and processes related to benign hypertrophy of the prostate. Clinical tests showed that nettle root extract was able to stop the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (by inhibiting the enzyme needed for this conversion). It would also be able to bind directly to SHBG, preventing it from binding to other hormones. Other studies seem to indicate that there is an interaction between the substances in nettle root extract and the serum proteins to which the androgens bind (such as SHBG). This interaction would lead to a variation in the concentration of free androgens. Nettle root extract prevents SHBG that has already bonded with a hormone from binding to receptors in the prostate 1 .Based on a number of articles, German researchers identified a substance that occurs in nettle root, namely (-)-3,4-divanillytetrahydrofuran. This substance has a preference for the compound with SHBG 2 . Nettle root extract can inhibit the production of oestrogens (estradiol and estrone) because it inhibits the activity of aromatase. The root contains at least five substances that have a weak to moderate aromatase inhibitory effect, reducing the conversion of androgens to estrogens.It has also been suggested that steroids or other hydrophobic substances in nettle extract would inhibit the activity of Na+, k(+)ATPase in the cell membrane of the prostate, thereby arresting prostate growth.
- An in vivo model and an in vitro study found an inhibitory effect on the growth of prostate cancer cells with a methanol-containing extract 5. An aqueous fluid is said to inhibit the activity of adenosine desaminase (ADA) in prostate tissue 6 .Positive results in more than 15,000 men. Significant improvements were seen in 15,000 men with benign prostate hypertrophy after using nettle root extract. The improvements concerned prostate size, voiding frequency, amount of nocturnal voiding, and urine residue left in the bladder after urination 7 . Because nettle root extract has traditionally been used for prostate problems in Germany for a long time, it has been decided to test this extract clinically. For example, 41 patients with benign prostate hypertrophy participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. The subjects had a maximum urine flow of 15 ml/second and a mean score of 18.2 on the IPSS (international prostate symptom score) scale. An IPSS score between 0 and 7 is considered mildly symptomatic, a score of 8 to 19 as moderately symptomatic, and a score of 20 to 35 as strongly symptomatic. At the end of the study, maximum urine flow was increased by 66.1% (from 10.9 to 18.1 ml/second) in the group that took nettle root extract, compared to 36.6% (from 12.3 to 16.8 ml/second) in the placebo group. The IPSS score fell twice as much in the group treated with nettle extract (from 18.2 to 8.7). In the placebo group this value decreased from 17.7 to 12.9. Another cross-center study involved 146 individuals with benign prostate hypertrophy who were followed for one year. They were randomized to receive either a placebo or an extract of 459 mg of nettle root daily. Results showed that the extract can be considered a safe treatment for benign hypertrophy of the prostate, especially when it comes to combating unpleasant complaints and limiting growth. In a study in laboratory animals, nettle extract was shown to inhibit artificially induced benign prostate hyperplasia in mice (54.4%) 10. The results suggest that the extract can be used preventively, as well as as a treatment. In Iran, 558 men in a double-blind placebo-controlled study were given either a placebo or nettle root extract for six months. At the end of the six-month period, the subjects who had previously received a placebo also received an extract of nettle root. All men followed the treatment for a period of 18 months. The results showed that the nettle extract was more effective than the placebo, regardless of the extent of benign prostate hypertrophy.
- Combination with Saw palmetto : In Europe, nettle root extract is often combined with saw palmetto. This is a potent combination, as the nettle root acts primarily through the alternative signaling pathway in the cells of the prostate, and the saw palmetto acts on the first signaling pathway that inhibits DHT activity. The nettle root mainly affects the estrogen side of the hypertrophy, while the saw palmetto mainly affects the androgen side. Both plants have an anti-inflammatory effect. A double-blind randomized study compared the effects of the combination of nettle root with saw palmetto and that of finasteride, a classic drug. The study was conducted in 543 patients with benign stage I or II prostate hypertrophy. Both treatments were found to be equally effective on the different parameters: urine flow, duration of voiding, IPSS scores and evaluation of the patients' quality of life. The effectiveness of both treatments increased with increasing duration of treatment. For example, the mean IPSS score dropped from 11.8 to 8 after four weeks of treatment with the plant extract. After 48 weeks, the score dropped to 6.5. In the group that took finasteride, the score dropped from 11.8 to 8 after 24 weeks. After 48 weeks, the score had dropped to 6.2.12 . In a large observational study, 419 urologists followed a total of 2030 patients with mild to moderately advanced benign prostatic hypertrophy. All patients received a mix of saw palmetto and nettle root for 12 weeks. Improvements were noted at the end of the study, namely: maximum urine flow was increased by 25.8%, mean urine flow was increased by 29%, urine residue after urination was decreased by 44.7%, nocturnal voidings by 50 .4% and the dysuria (problems with urination) with 62.1%. 86% of the patients showed improvements.
Main Combinations
- prostate problems : Stinging Nettle Root + Pumpkin seeds oil + Serenoa repens
- prostate hypertrophy Stinging Nettle Root + Saw palmetto
