Each of us is familiar with such a plant as nettles. However, not everyone knows that in nature there are a large number of types of culture. Since ancient times, people knew about the beneficial properties of nettles and actively used them in their needs. It is worth noting that the plant is very dangerous, and therefore, when handling it, care must be taken.
Nettle plant
Nettle is a perennial herbaceous crop of the Nettle family. It is distributed in Asia and Europe, Australia and Africa, as well as in North America. It can be found in China, India, Japan, the UK and the USA.
The people call the plant "zhigalka", "zhiguchka". Regarding the origin of the name of the culture, the opinions of linguists differ. It is believed that the word "nettle" came from the Old Slavic kropiva.
The plant has been used by people since ancient times, because it contains a large number of nutrients and vitamins. At present, the properties of nettle are used not only in traditional medicine, but also in cosmetology and dietetics. According to experts, in the world there are more than 50 species of nettles. In Russia, there are only a few of them.
Plant description
There are different types of nettle, among them there are dioecious and monoecious representatives. Plant height ranges from 0.5 meters to 2 meters. The edges of the foliage may be jagged or solid. Leaves are located opposite each other.
The stems of the plant can be painted in any shade of green. On their surface is a large number of burning hairs. Each of them, in fact, is a kind of ampoule with acetylocholine, histamine, serotonin, tartaric, oxalic and formic acids.
During the contact of the hairs with the surface of the human body, the edge of the hair breaks off and enters the subcutaneous integument. So the contents of the "ampoule" burns our skin, causing a chemical burn. Substances such as acetylcholine, serotonin and histamine cause severe redness, but oxalic and tartaric acids cause pain. Different types of nettles contain different amounts of these acids. Therefore, the intensity of their effect on the skin is completely different.
Nettle species
As we already mentioned, in the world there are a large number of plant species. In our article, we want to focus only on those species that are characteristic of our country. The most common nettle species in Russia:
- Stinging nettle (Urtica angustifolia).
- Narrow-leaved nettle (Urtica angustifolia).
- Cannabis nettle (Urtica cannabina).
- Nettle Kiev (Urtica kioviensis).
- Stinging nettle (Urtica galeopsifolia).
- Nettle (Urtica laetevirens).
- Ball nettle (Urtica pilulifera).
- Nettle Sonden (Urtica sondenii).
- Stinging nettle (Urtica platyphylla).
- Stinging nettle (Urtica urens).
Stinging nettle
All types of nettle (photo and description are given in the article) are somewhat similar, but at the same time they have their own differences. Dioecious nettle is a perennial plant with very developed creeping roots. The height of the culture can reach two meters. In spring, the stems of the plant have a simple structure, but by the middle of summer numerous shoots appear in the sinuses. The plant has a dark green color. Nettle stalks are densely covered with burning villi. The culture has small inflorescences of a pale green color. After flowering, oblong fruits are formed.
Stinging nettle is very common in Eurasia and in most countries of North Africa, Central Asia and China. In addition, the culture was brought to Australia and North America. In our country, nettle (species and photos are given by us in the article) grows in forest and forest-steppe regions, as well as in the Far East and Siberia. The plant is able to form huge thickets in the area of wet meadows, on river banks, on vacant lots, along fences and roads.
Stinging nettle
This type of stinging nettle is very common in France, Russia, Poland, Romania and other countries of Europe and North America. The plant is an annual, it has tetrahedral stems growing in height from 15 to 50 centimeters. Nettle leaves are painted dark green, and the trunk is covered with a huge number of burning hairs. The plant blooms in light green flowers, collected in spikelets, from May to late autumn.
Nettle Kiev
This type of nettle (the description is given below) is found in France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Palestine. In addition, it is extremely common in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and is even listed in the Red Book in some territories. The perennial plant has grassy stems up to 1.2 m high. The leaves are painted dark green and covered with rare, but extremely burning villi.
Inflorescences of the plant contain flowers of a male and female species. Kiev nettle has a long vegetation period, until the onset of steady frost. She prefers wetlands, as well as lowlands along rivers and lakes.
Nettle
The flat-leaved species grows in China, Japan and other East Asian countries, as well as in the Far East, the Kuril and Commander Islands, Kamchatka and Sakhalin. The plant has quite high shoots, reaching up to 1.5 meters in height. The entire surface of the shoots is covered with stinging villi.
Narrow-leaved nettle
Narrow-leaved species can be found in mixed riverine and mountain forests in Korea, China, Mongolia and Japan. And in Russia, nettle is found in the Irkutsk and Chita regions, in Altai, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Buryatia and the Irkutsk Region. In height, the plant reaches 1.2 meters. All of it is covered with a dense layer of villi, but only some of them are burning.
Ongaonga
Ongaonga (translated from Latin - “ferocious nettle”) is also known as nettle tree. This is the most dangerous type of nettle. It grows exclusively in New Zealand. Only the nettle tree has a woody stem that reaches five meters in height, and its thickness reaches 12 centimeters. The thick stem of the plant is incredibly densely covered with stinging villi. It's hard to believe, but New Zealand residents are afraid of meeting such a tree, since they believe it is one of the most dangerous nettles. The fact is that accidental encounters with such a plant cause breathing difficulties, impaired vision and temporary paralysis of the muscular system. Even a fatal case is known.
Imagine that every year about 75 people need serious hospital treatment after meeting with such a "monster". Only one case with a fatal outcome was officially registered in 1962, when two young people accidentally fell into a thicket of nettles and received multiple burns on their legs and arms. For one hour, one of them paralyzed the muscles of the legs, difficulty breathing and lost sight. He was urgently hospitalized, but five hours later he was gone. The doctors managed to save the second patient. Since then, local residents have been trying to get around the tenth road, one of the dangerous and burning species of nettle. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid unpleasant meetings. People who have burns feel signs of malaise for two to three days, and then recover.
The tree trunk of such a tree sometimes grows up to five meters. But more often the plant forms two-meter thickets. The leaves and stems of such nettles (species and photos are given during the article) are completely covered with white, very poisonous thorns, which reach a length of six millimeters. Each such thorn inside is filled with histamine and formic acid. At the slightest contact with anything, the thorns break and toxins get on the skin, causing severe burns and a sharp throbbing pain.
Nettle tree caused considerable harm to the inhabitants of New Zealand. Because of him, a considerable number of dogs and horses died. It remains a mystery why the plant has such an impressive defense mechanism in the complete absence of enemies?
However, it turned out that ongaong is not such an invulnerable “monster”. There is an insect that is completely not afraid of tree burns. The larvae of the butterfly with the beautiful name Red Admiral not only do not fear dangerous toxins, they feed exclusively on the foliage of the nettle tree.
Useful properties of the plant
It is difficult for people far from botany to discern the differences in nettle species (photos and descriptions of some varieties are given in the article). Whatever variety of this group of plants is discussed, the only important fact is that all representatives of a large family have incredibly useful properties. Nettles contain volatile, tannins and phenolic acids. In small quantities, it also found: bat-carotene, folic acid, vitamin H, choline, vitamin E and iodine.
Essential oils, porphrine, sirotitnin, phenocarbolic and pantothenic acids, histamine, flavonoids are found in the foliage and stems of the plant. Even the seeds of the plant contain vitamin C and linoleic acid.
The high content of vitamin C in nettle explains its sufficiently strong preventive effect and strengthening properties. Vitamin K relieves inflammation and improves blood coagulation. But the high content of B vitamins allows you to use culture in the fight against ailments of the nervous system. Phosphorus and calcium have a beneficial effect on the condition of teeth and nails, and magnesium and potassium contribute to the full functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Due to the high iron content in nettles, the plant is used in the treatment of anemia. In addition, nettle helps in the fight against diabetes, because secretin lowers the level of sugar in the circulatory system, as well as with the influence of radioactive radiation.
What and how to use?
Most often, people use nettle leaves for treatment, which must first be prepared from May to June. Nettles are harvested during the growing moon. It was at this time that the plant has a special power. The branches are first dried for several hours, and then they are torn off the leaves and laid out in a ventilated room with a thin layer for drying. Harvested material can be stored for two years.
Healing properties
Nettle is considered a real storehouse of healing properties. The main ones are the ability to restore blood, choleretic and diuretic effects, restoration of the gastrointestinal mucosa, normalization of the menstrual cycle, etc.
In the West, the plant is even used to treat tumors. Nettle has also been shown to relieve cramps and has a good expectorant effect. The grass contains a large amount of chlorophyll, which helps to normalize the work of female organs and the entire intestine. During the experiments, it was proved that nettle normalizes the hemoglobin content in the blood and positively affects carbohydrate metabolism.
From time immemorial, nettle seeds have been prescribed to those women who could not get pregnant. The plant even found use as a remedy for impotence. To do this, the seeds are recommended to be mixed with the flesh of a banana and daily to use the product until libido is restored.
Freshly squeezed juice from the seeds and foliage of nettles helps in the fight against osteomyelitis, and is also used for elevated levels of salt in the joints. The juice is very effective for the treatment of ulcerative wounds with varicose veins, it heals cuts and diaper rash. The diuretic properties of the plant are used for kidney stones and rheumatism. Nettle oil helps a lot in the treatment of bruises, arthritis, osteochondrosis and sprain. At home, people often add leaves to vitamin drinks.
Hazardous properties of the plant
No matter how useful the nettle is, it is always worth remembering that it causes burns of the skin, which means that you need to be careful with it. Most people burn quickly, but some may have dangerous allergic reactions.
In addition, not everyone can take advantage of the beneficial properties of the plant. As a therapeutic agent, it should not be used:
- With high blood coagulation (this can lead to blood clots).
- In case of heart or kidney failure.
- With skin allergies and individual intolerance.
- During pregnancy.
- With female bleeding.
Instead of an afterword
The healing properties of this amazing plant are widely used not only in traditional medicine, modern cosmetology and dietetics, but also in official medicine. Based on nettles, imported preparations Bazoton and Prostaforton were created. The composition of the choleretic drug "Allohol" includes an extract from the foliage of a plant. In addition, in official medicine, decoctions of herbs and stems are used in the fight against many ailments.