Nettle is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant, native to Asia, Europe, and North America. The root is widely used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), allergies, arthritis, and inflammation. Nettle is usually combined with herbs such as saw palmetto and pygeum for the treatment of BPH. Several compounds have been isolated from nettle including flavonoid glycosides that appear to contribute to its biological effects, although the precise mechanism of action is unclear. In vitro and animal studies indicate that nettle extract has reno- ⁽¹⁾ and hepatoprotective ⁽²⁾ properties, and is effective against colitis in mice ⁽³⁾.

Data from clinical trials suggest benefits of nettle in the treatment of osteoarthritis of hip, knee ⁽⁴⁾ hand ⁽⁵⁾ , gonarthritis ⁽²⁰⁾, and in ameliorating symptoms associated with benign prostatic syndrome (BPS) ^{(6) (7) (8)}. A combination of saw palmetto and nettle was reported to affect significant improvements in nocturnal voiding frequency compared to placebo, and was similar to tamsulosin or finasteride, in patients with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms/BPH ⁽²¹⁾. In another study nettle was shown to improve glycemic control in type-2 diabetic patients ⁽⁹⁾.

Nettle was also shown to have anti-proliferative effects in prostate cancer cells ⁽¹⁰⁾; to protect against cisplatin-induced toxicity ⁽¹¹⁾; to enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel ⁽²²⁾; and to increase cisplatin cytotoxicity in non-small cell lung cancer cells ⁽²³⁾.