Each of us is familiar with such a plant as nettle. However, not everyone knows that in nature there are a large number of types of culture. Since ancient times, people have known 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 you need to be careful when handling it.
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, UK and USA.
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" comes from the Old Slavonic kropiva.
The plant has been used by people since ancient times, because it contains a large number of useful substances and vitamins. Currently, the properties of nettle are used not only in traditional medicine, but also in cosmetology and dietology. According to experts, there are more than 50 types of nettle in the world. Only a few of them are found on the territory of Russia.
Description of the plant
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. The leaves are opposite each other.
The stems of the plant can be painted in any shade of green. On their surface there is a large number of burning hairs. Each of them, in fact, is a kind of ampoule with acetylcholine, 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 intense redness, while oxalic and tartaric acids cause pain. Different types of nettle contain different amounts of these acids. Therefore, the intensity of their effect on the skin is completely different.
Types of nettles
As we have already mentioned, there are a large number of plant species in the world. In our article, we want to focus only on those species that are typical for our country. The most common types of nettle in Russia:
- Dioecious nettle (Urtica angustifolia).
- Angustifolia nettle (Urtica angustifolia).
- Hemp nettle (Urtica cannabina).
- Kyiv nettle (Urtica kioviensis).
- Stinging nettle (Urtica galeopsifolia).
- Light green nettle (Urticalaetevirens).
- Globular Nettle (Urtica pilulifera).
- Sonden Nettle (Urtica sondenii).
- Nettle nettle (Urtica platyphylla).
- Stinging nettle (Urtica urens).
Dioecious nettle
All types of nettles (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. In height, the culture can reach two meters. In spring, the stems of the plant have a simple structure, but by mid-summer, numerous shoots appear in the axils. The plant has a dark green color. Nettle stalks are densely covered with stinging villi. The culture has small inflorescences of pale green color. After flowering, oblong fruits are formed.
Dioecious nettle is very common in Eurasia and in most of the countries of North Africa, Central Asia and China. In addition, the culture was brought to Australia and North America. In our country, nettle (the 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 damp meadows, on river banks, in wastelands, 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 with light green flowers collected in spikelets from May until late autumn.
Kyiv nettle
This type of nettle (described 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 areas. The perennial plant has herbaceous stems up to 1.2 m high. The leaves are dark green and covered with sparse but extremely burning villi.
The inflorescences of the plant contain male and female flowers. Kyiv nettle has a long growing season, until the onset of persistent frosts. She prefers wetlands, as well as lowlands along rivers and lakes.
Nettle leaf
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 fairly high shoots, reaching up to 1.5 meters in height. The entire surface of the shoots is covered with stinging villi.
Angustifolia nettle
The 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, Chita regions, Altai, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The plant reaches a height of 1.2 meters. All of it is covered with a dense layer of villi, but onlysome of them are stinging.
Ongaonga
Ongaonga (Latin for “fierce nettle”) is also known as the 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 the people of New Zealand are afraid of meeting with such a tree, because they believe it is one of the most dangerous nettle species. The fact is that random encounters with such a plant cause breathing difficulties, weakening of vision and temporary paralysis of the muscular system. There has even been a fatal case.
Imagine that every year about 75 people need serious hospital treatment after encountering such a “monster”. Only one fatal case was officially registered in 1962, when two young people accidentally fell into nettle thickets and received multiple burns on their legs and arms. One of them had leg muscles paralyzed for an hour, breathing became difficult and vision was lost. He was rushed to the hospital, but five hours later he was gone. 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 stinging nettle species. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid unpleasant encounters. People who have received burns feel signs of malaise for two to three days, after whichare recovering.
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 (types and photos are given in the course of the article) are completely covered with white, very poisonous spines, which reach a length of six millimeters. Each such spike is filled with histamine and formic acid inside. At the slightest contact with something, the thorns break and toxins enter the skin, causing severe burns and a sharp throbbing pain.
Nettle tree has caused considerable harm to the people of New Zealand. Because of him, a considerable number of dogs and horses died. It remains a mystery, why would a plant have such an impressive defense mechanism in the absence of enemies?
However, it turned out that the ongaonga is not such an invulnerable "monster". There is an insect that is not at all afraid of tree burns. Butterfly larvae with the beautiful name Red Admiral are not only not afraid of dangerous toxins, they feed exclusively on the leaves of the nettle tree.
Useful properties of the plant
It is difficult for people who are far from botany to see the differences between nettle species (photos and descriptions of some varieties are given in the article). Whatever variety of this group of plants we are talking about, only the fact that all representatives of the vast family have incredibly useful properties is important. Nettle contains phytoncides, tannins and phenolic acids. In small quantities, it also contains: bata-carotene, folic acid, vitamin H, choline,vitamin E and iodine.
Essential oils, porfrin, sirotitin, phenocarbolic and pantothenic acids, histamine, flavonoids were 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 rather strong preventive effect and strengthening properties. Vitamin K reduces inflammation and improves blood clotting. But the high content of B vitamins allows the use of culture in the fight against diseases of the nervous system. Phosphorus and calcium have a beneficial effect on the condition of teeth and nails, while magnesium and potassium contribute to the full functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Due to the high iron content in nettle, the plant is used in the treatment of anemia. In addition, nettle helps in the fight against diabetes, since secretin reduces sugar levels in the circulatory system, as well as the effects of radioactive radiation.
What and how is it used?
Most often, people use nettle leaves for treatment, which must first be prepared from May to June. Nettles are harvested during the waxing moon. It is at this time that the plant has a special power. The branches are first dried for several hours, and then the foliage is cut off from them and laid out in a ventilated room in a thin layer for drying. The 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 mucous surface of the gastrointestinal tract, normalization of the menstrual cycle, etc.
In the West, the plant is even used to treat tumors. It has also been proven that nettle relieves convulsions and has a good expectorant effect. The grass contains a large amount of chlorophyll, which helps to normalize the work of the 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.
Since ancient times, nettle seeds have been prescribed for those women who could not get pregnant. The plant has even found use as a remedy for impotence. To do this, seeds are recommended to be mixed with banana pulp and consumed daily until libido is restored.
Freshly squeezed juice from the seeds and leaves of nettle helps in the fight against osteomyelitis, and is also used for high s alt levels in the joints. Juice is very effective for treating ulcers 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 in the treatment of bruises, arthritis, osteochondrosis and sprains. At home, people often add the leaves to their vitamin drinks.
Dangerous properties of the plant
No matter how useful nettle is, it is always worth remembering that it causes skin burns, which means that you need to be careful with it. For most people, burns resolve quickly, but for some, dangerousallergic reactions.
In addition, not everyone can take advantage of the beneficial properties of the plant. It should not be used as a remedy:
- With high blood clotting (this can lead to blood clots).
- In case of heart or kidney failure.
- For skin allergies and individual intolerances.
- During pregnancy.
- For female bleeding.
Instead of afterword
The healing properties of the amazing plant are widely used not only in traditional medicine, modern cosmetology and dietology, but also in official medicine. On the basis of nettle, imported drugs "Bazoton" and "Prostaforton" were created. The composition of the choleretic drug "Allohol" includes an extract from the foliage of the plant. In addition, decoctions of herbs and stems are used in official medicine in the fight against many ailments.
