10/19/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
People suffering from an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, may benefit from common nettle (Urtica dioica). A study published in the Journal of Herbal Medicine suggested that common nettle can improve the quality of life of people with IBD.
In the study, researchers from Iran University of Medical Science in Tehran, Iran evaluated the effects of the leaf extract of common nettle in patients with IBD. Their study involved 59 patients with IBD. Then, the participants were randomly divided into two groups: a common nettle group and a placebo group.
The participants received three tables of either a common nettle extract or placebo every day for 12 weeks. Before the start of the study and at the end of it, the researchers measured the levels of inflammatory markers, antioxidant levels, platelet count, and quality of life of the participants.
The results revealed that IBD patients who received the common nettle treatment experienced great reductions in inflammation and platelet count. The common nettle extract also exhibited an increase in antioxidant activity. In addition, IBD patients who received the common nettle treatment reported improvements in their quality of life.
From the findings of the study, the researchers concluded that common nettle may be helpful in the treatment of IBD.
Common nettle has fine hairs on the leaves and stems that have irritating chemicals, which are secreted when the plant comes in contact with the human skin. Hence its other name, “stinging nettle.” When the plant comes in contact with the skin, it is very painful. However, research has found that when the plant comes in contact with a painful part of the body, it can actually reduce the original pain. Researchers believe that it does this by decreasing the levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body and by interrupting the transmission of pain signals in the body. For hundreds of years, common nettle has been used to treat many diseases. Here are some of them:
Common nettle is available in various forms, including as dried leaf, freeze-dried leaf, extract, capsules, tablets, and as root tincture, juice, or tea. You can also find it as an ointment or cream that can be applied to the skin. (Related: Stinging nettle promotes a wide range of health benefits.)
Read more news stories and studies on herbal treatments like common nettle by going to AlternativeMedicine.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, antioxidant, common nettle, herbal medicine, Herbs, IBD, IBD symptoms, inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, natural cures, natural healing, natural medicine, natural remedies, nettle, Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica
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