Herbarium: White deadnettle – also known as "dumb" nettle, this plant doesn't sting and is recognized as a herb traditionally used for women's health.

White dead-nettle (Lamium album) is a perennial plant with a stem that grows to approximately 30 to 40 cm tall. The petiolate, ovate-cordate leaves are opposite, coarsely toothed, and slightly hairy. They are arranged in whorls of five to eight leaves.

It is a very common weed, found in shrubs, on compost heaps, in ditches, on slopes, or at the edges of forests.

The flowers are primarily harvested from spring to late summer, or early autumn. The entire plant is practically only used for baths.

It contains catechin tannins, mucilage, choline, the alkaloid stachydrin, essential oils, flavonoids, biogenic amines, traces of glycosides, and other active compounds. The aerial parts contain fewer of the compounds listed above, but also contain a number of minerals and trace elements.

White dead-nettle can protect mucous membranes, has anti-inflammatory properties, and can relieve spasmodic pain. It generally soothes the body. It helps to regulate menstruation, alleviate menstrual problems, and prevent excessive menstrual bleeding. In pediatrics, it is suitable for treating irritated digestive systems and for diarrhea and bloating.

For external use, it is added to baths for hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and to promote wound healing and burns.

The flowers are prepared exclusively as an infusion, and the aerial parts are briefly boiled for about a minute. The dosage is standard in both cases.

It is suitable for long-term use. The aerial parts tea has a somewhat bitter taste. There are no known undesirable or inappropriate effects.

White dead-nettle has proven to be invaluable in addressing urological problems, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and impaired kidney function, or an enlarged prostate.

This article was published with the kind permission of the Sféra magazine.

casopis-sfera.cz / gnews.cz-HeK