Screening of pharmacological uses of Urtica dioica and other benefits

Abstract

Background Natural products, whether pure compounds or standardized plant extracts, offer unlimited opportunities for other drug sources due to the unequaled availability of chemical diversity. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a unique herbaceous perennial flowering plant with stinging hairs. The leaf extract of nettle was one of the herbal remedies which the experimental, clinical and trials have complemented each other. It is a very well-known plant with a wide historical background use of stems, leaves and roots. It has a long history of use as power sources such as soup or curry, and also used as fiber and a medicinal plant. Urtica dioica has traditionally been used in the control of cardiovascular disorders especially hypertension. The leaf extract of Urtica dioica has been reported to improve glucose homeostasis in vivo. Nettle root could prevent some of the effects of prostatic hyperplasia. Extracts of nettle leaf are used as anti-inflammatory remedies for rheumatoid arthritis. Urtica dioica extract significantly increased the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel. This article aims to review the very wide ranging of pharmacological effects of Urtica dioica extract. Methods Articles on PuBmed between 1980 and 2019. Results Description and critical review of the pharmacological effects of Urtica dioica and other uses. Conclusion The nettle is actually a plant with many qualities and uses. The interest in it is deserved and it is given by other studies and investigations.