Do you know that in Italy we eat them as well? Some people get very sick if they come into contact with stinging nettle rash. Currently, this is the only remedy for nettle stings for which there is concrete scientific evidence. Stinging nettle is often recommended for pre-menstrual syndrome because of its toxin-ridding activity. Despite it being so widespread, however, there’s still a lot we don’t know about stings from stinging nettles. [Edit: 20/05/2016: Since writing this article, a paper which shows that dock leaf extract can have some effect on serotonin in the nettle sting has been brought to my attention. In the venom, histamine causes inflammation and pain. As I result, I’m not convinced it isn’t just a total fabrication. Enjoyed this post & graphic? The stinging nettle plant can grow well over 10 feet tall and is commonly found in uncultivated areas of moist soil such as pastures, wasteland, and alongside streams. The trichomes remain potent for decades, Hurley said, and dead, dried-up specimens from a century ago can still sting. It’s still not clear why the Gympie-Gympie evolved this off-putting defense. When the hairs touch skin, the end breaks off and the shaft of the hair sticks into the skin, injecting a toxin in the same way as a hypodermic needle. Standing near one unprotected for 20 minutes is enough to cause violent sneezing, nose bleeds and even breathing problems. Proceedings of the physiological society 1957, p. 58P-59P Even if this is the case, however, we’ve already pointed out that it’s not just the acidic compounds in nettle venom that are problematic. ... Pica-Pica Wood Nettle Ortiga Brava Stinging Nettle Stinging Nettle spp. As reported in the journal Science Advances, Kalani Gilding, Irina Vetter and a team of researchers at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience discovered the culprit was a completely new class of toxic miniproteins. However, the toxin in stinging nettle is much stronger than those two plants. When the liver is sluggish, it processes estrogen slowly, contributing to the high levels that cause or aggravate PMS. Stinging nettle is used for diabetes and osteoarthritis. Whilst all of the above contribute to the painful experience of a nettle sting, it’s still not the full story. Other chemicals contained in the stinging nettle venom, and the ones we now think are primarily responsible for the pain it induces, are histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin. The best 2 plants that rubbed on the affected area worked immediately were plantain (plantago) and pellitory (parietaria), dock didn’t seem to do much at all ! Nevertheless, I don’t understand how even if the sting goes away naturally, it will burn again even after hours, if you apply water! The ‘dock leaves contain antihistamines’ claim is a widespread one – a quick google will show as much – but in all cases it is unsubstantiated, and the trail of breadcrumbs always leads back to the same study which seems to be erroneously referencing a finding that doesn’t exist. They found that dock leaf extract will block the effect of serotonin, making that the likely mechanism for dock leaves to ease the pain of a nettle sting. Dr. Marina Hurley studied the huge toxic plants for her PhD and had to wear a dust mask and cover her arms and legs when she was working. The nettle species, Urtica dioica, actually encompasses six different subspecies, all but one of which have stinging hairs. But you don’t even have to touch it to feel its wrath – standing near one unprotected for 20 minutes is enough to cause violent sneezing, nose bleeds and even breathing problems. Mire nettles are infamous for their hollow, needlelike thorns, which contain a natural toxin that causes extreme pain. Without any further or more recent research to back it up, the jury’s still out as to whether dock leaf acts merely as a placebo or not – more research needed!]. Stinging nettle contains its own antidote. What’s in this mix of different chemicals that causes the sting? Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Stinging nettle rash presents as raised bumps or hives that are often light in color and up to a centimeter in diameter. The Gympie-Gympie tree is the world's most painful stinging nettle Anecdotally, it certainly seems to be, but actually there’s little in the way of scientific evidence. The stinging nettle is a plant found practically all over the world. J. COLLIER. The graphic in this article is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Stinging Nettle. The nettle has sharp hairs on its leaves. In one historical account from the 1940s, a soldier said the pain was so bad he had to be tied to his hospital bed for three weeks. Stinging nettle (or should I say Urtica dioica) is an herbaceous flowering plant that can be found in Europe, Asia, Africa and Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Until now, scientists haven’t been able to identify the neurotoxin the plant secretes. The skin surrounding the hives may be red. In the venom, histamine causes inflammation and pain. Rubbing with the hand doesn’t work, but I do wonder if the dock leaves are sufficiently abrasive to remove the “stingers” mechanically. found Stinging Nettle Root Extract to be effective. : removing them from your garden). Mechanical injury, sometimes called toxin-mediated urticaria, is generally induced by plants with obvious physical characteristics that directly injure the skin, such as the barbs of aloe or the trichomes of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) (Table 5). Stinging nettle, or Urtica dioica, is a common plant that grows in the United States, Canada, and Europe.It primarily grows in damp, fertile soil. Although fresh nettle is primarily known for its stinging quality, dried nettle has some incredible detoxifying properties. Calamine is usually a mixture of zinc oxide and a small amount of iron (III) oxide, and is unsurprisingly the main ingredient in calamine lotion. Consider supporting Compound Interest on Patreon, and get previews of upcoming posts & more! Toxin in Australia's 'stinging tree' is comparable to spider or scorpion venom and can cause excruciating pain that lasts weeks. Because the trees’ toxins target a nerve-cell molecule that’s fundamental to our pain response, researching them may also help unlock how to block pain receptors. The Gympie-Gympie, known scientifically as Dendrocnide moroides, can grow to 10 feet tall with leaves 20 inches long. But, even better, maybe have some antihistamine cream pre-packed as well! (Of course, if anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, it’d be great to see!). While it’s toxic to humans and other animals, their leaves and fruit are a prized meal for beetles, birds and pademelons, an Australian marsupial related to the wallaby. Stinging nettles are covered with countless tiny hollow hairs called trichomes. When injected by the stinging nettle, however, it functions as an irritant, leading to pain. In the forests of eastern Australia there are a handful of nettle trees so noxious that signs are commonly placed where humans trample through their habitat. I have also always wondered this. The hairs can remain in the skin for months, and with stings recurring if the skin is pressed hard or washed with hot or cold water. Who’s up to do it? However, further studies could reveal that there are still gaps in our current understanding. It’s possible that there are synergistic effects between them and other chemicals in the venom mixture. This small, carnivorous stinging nettle commonly grows in mires. It’s an anti-pruritic (anti-itching) agent, which is commonly applied to insect stings (. Further to that, a commonly espoused remedy for the stings, in the UK at least, is to rub dock leaves on them – but does this actually work, or is it just a widespread myth? The team discovered the culprit is a new class of toxic miniproteins that has been named ‘gympietides,’ in honor of the Indigenous name for the stinging tree. But when they make contact with skin they’re more like tiny hypodermics, breaking off and injecting a painful toxin. Stinging nettle is a plant that grows in North America, Europe, and Africa. If you get stung, take a few leaves, crush them into a paste, and put it on the stung area. The Dendrocnide plant, also known as the Gympie-Gympie Stinging Tree. Vinegar comes packed with detoxifying effects where, it effectively combats the toxin. See the site’s content usage guidelines. The fine hairs remain potent for decades – dried-up specimens from a century ago can still sting. Many of the sites that mention it use the same turn of phrase (“The juice of nettle is also the antidote for its own sting”) which makes me think it may well be from a single original source. It is covered with tiny little hairs that act as needles that release a toxin when penetrating the skin. Urinating on them is one that crops up more often than you might expect, but it’s likely to have little or no effect – and whilst we’re on the subject, there’s little point in urinating on a jellyfish sting either, The Chemistry of the Smell of Toilets & Human Waste, This Week in Chemistry – Cats & Bitter Compounds, & Recovering Indium, Urticaria crónica. Found all over eastern Australia, the dendrocnide plant is among the most toxic flora on Earth and stings can kill dogs or horses and cause excruciating pain in humans that last weeks, even months. It will stop stinging within about a minute. Nettle (Latin Urtica dioica) is a perennial herb known as common nettle, stinging nettle, nettle worth, big string nettle, devil's leaf.. Whilst formic acid is certainly capable of causing a stinging sensation, and it is present in stinging nettles, it’s now thought that it’s present in too low a concentration to account for the extended pain of a stinging nettle sting. (Of course, if anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, it’d be great to see!). Other, stranger methods of treating stings have also been suggested. a few days ago I stung myself on purpose to see what effects the plants that grow where nettles grow have on the sting. Overview Information Stinging nettle is a plant. I had no idea why my arm suddenly felt on fire, but I was terrified. When injected by the stinging nettle, however, it functions as an irritant, leading to pain. Serotonin, in particular, might sound familiar – it’s produced in our bodies, and sometimes referred to as the ‘happy hormone’, though it’s actually responsible for a number of other roles too. Stinging Nettle Rash. If you do get stung, crush and rub a Plantain Weed leaf or a Curly Dock Stalk on the area. Calamine is usually a mixture of zinc oxide and a small amount of iron (III) oxide, and is unsurprisingly the main ingredient in calamine lotion. Apparently a weed, the nettle family urtica, with about 60 species worldwide, nevertheless inflicts high demands on the soil. These trees are called gympie-gympie in the language of the Indigenous Gubbi Gubbi people, and Dendrocnide in botanical Latin (meaning "tree stinger"). When you brush against the plant, the tip of the hair breaks off. The tree’s scientific name is Dendrocnide which literally means ‘stinging tree’—a member of the nettle family which can be found in Australia from the Northern Rivers region of NSW, through Gympie QLD and all the way to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula.. The stinging trees In the forests of eastern Australia there are a handful of nettle trees so noxious that signs are commonly placed where humans trample through their habitat. However, the paper being referenced doesn’t actually contain any mention of this at all. Additionally, dock leaf sap actually isn’t alkaline, so the whole argument falls apart. Other, stranger methods of treating stings have also been suggested. Found all over eastern Australia, the dendrocnide plant is among the most toxic flora on Earth and stings can kill dogs or horses and cause excruciating pain in humans that last weeks, even months. When something brushes against these hairs, their very fragile silica tips break off, and the remainder of the hair can then act like a needle. It’s also abundant in Asia, North America, much of Europe, and even some Northern African countries. So, next time you’re out walking and get stung by a nettle, there’s nothing wrong with hunting for the distraction or placebo effect of a dock leaf. The toxin produced by a dangerous ‘stinging tree’ is comparable to a scorpion or spider’s bite, according to a new study. Another oft-suggested remedy is applying calamine lotion to the skin. One remedy that will alleviate the pain of the sting somewhat is the use of antihistamine or corticosteroid creams. If you’d like to know more about the plants chemistry check out this cool chart. ‘By understanding how this toxin works, we hope to provide better treatment to those who have been stung by the plant, to ease or eliminate the pain,’ she said. We need scientific research to compare: do nothing vs dock leaves vs sandpaper (or emery-board) vs a soft leaf vs another tough leaf vs rubbing with a hand. The wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) is a relative of the stinging nettle that often grows in woodlands.Like the stinging nettle, the wood nettle leaves are covered with spines that sting when they come into contact with skin. And injecting a painful toxin moroides is nicknamed after the town Gympie in Queensland where it was discovered 1860... Wood. ’ alleviate the pain of the hair breaks off more about the plants chemistry check out this cool.... Can linger for weeks and even months like a decent theory – but ’... 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