While stinging nettle might be useful in the prevention of neurodegenerative disease because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, this effect hasn’t yet been established by clinical studies in humans. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are associated with inflammatory pathways and oxidation. Stinging nettle has a number of polyphenols that are bioactive, and potentially anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. A study in rat models of PD showed that stinging nettle supplementation improved motor function and the blood levels of inflammatory markers.[1] Stinging nettle is also able to inhibit oxidative stress, and help enzymes that break down reactive oxygen species. It reduces inflammatory proteins such as tumor necrosis factor-α and lowers activity of other inflammatory proteins such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB).[1] All this points to the idea that stinging nettle could be useful in neurodegenerative disorders by mitigating neuroinflammation. However, few clinical studies have been done, and it will take some time to be able to confirm the effects found in rodent studies.[2]
References
- ^Bisht R, Joshi BC, Kalia AN, Prakash AAntioxidant-Rich Fraction of Urtica dioica Mediated Rescue of Striatal Mito-Oxidative Damage in MPTP-Induced Behavioral, Cellular, and Neurochemical Alterations in Rats.Mol Neurobiol.(2017 Sep)
- ^Semwal P, Rauf A, Olatunde A, Singh P, Zaky MY, Islam MM, Khalil AA, Aljohani ASM, Al Abdulmonem W, Ribaudo GThe medicinal chemistry of Urtica dioica L.: from preliminary evidence to clinical studies supporting its neuroprotective activity.Nat Prod Bioprospect.(2023 May 12)