Nettle Leaf
Urtica dioica
1:1 Ethanol/Distilled H2O Spagyric tincture of fresh wildcrafted Nettle leaf (and some seed), with purified salt principle added.
Planetary Ruler: Mars

Physical Properties*:
Nettles are a time honoured herb, being utilized throughout all of Europe even before Roman conquests. Nettles are highly nutritious, containing many trace minerals, large amounts of iron, fat, chlorophyll and the same amount of protein as found in spinach. It is a plant with a wide range of healing uses including: Reduction of fatigue and exhaustion; adrenal restoration; lessen allergic reaction; nourishes hair/teeth/bones; builds blood; stabilizes blood sugar (reduces insulin resistance, helps with type 2 diabetes, can also lower blood sugar when high); regulates menstruation (reduces cramping, resolves amenorrhea); eases arthritis; reduces eczema; anti-inflammatory; increases lactation; kidney/adrenal trophorestorative; and, upregulates thyroid function (good for hypothyroid). Nettle is a herb that gets the job done! It’s planetary ruler is Mars, which we see denoted in its actions by the herbs ability to recalibrate our bodies capacity for action, whilst it is a diuretic and can clean out our system to make it more efficient, it also enables our body to synthesize and utilize protein building blocks to created complicated molecules, those proteins being put to more effective use, rather than clogging and weighing down our system as may have happened without nettles help. Nettle can be seen growing in damp ‘wasteland’ areas, which alludes to its ability to remove uric acid wastes from the body including gout deposits, eczemas, skin rashes and gravel in the kidneys – it pulls uric acid build ups from the tissues, back in to the bloodstream then regulates our kidneys to be able to flush it from our system. Nettles are effective at regulating fevers (where fever is followed by chills), it is a heat balancing herb that appropriately stimulates the liver in these situations, along with the spleen and lymph.
Ayurvedically speaking it is classified as bitter, cool, salty and dry. It pacifies vatta, pitta and kapha.

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Emotional/Spiritual Properties*:
Astrologically speaking level Nettle is said to be ‘Mars in Scorpio’, attributed like so because of its sting, and simultaneously the ability to lengthen the fuses of those who are easily angered – as reflected in its deeply resourcing physical properties. Nettle is said to have a motherly energy despite its attribution to the masculine Mars, its specific form of motherly energy collects our frazzled, strung out, exasperated almost ‘tantrum’ like energies in, sits them down, gives them a warming cup of nourishing comfort and then illuminates to them the ways in which those tones of anger are depleting one’s system. We sit under her perceptive and piercing gaze, imbued by its sharp clarity we get a handle on our moodiness, realise where things are out of alignment within us and around us, then encourages to get up and get to work bringing those things in to alignment with her stern, yet compassionate diligence. By enabling our processes of emotional and spiritual alchemy like so it helps us to release bitterness, the holding of grudges and melodramatic victim mentalities (probably a useful aid if you have strong elements of Pisces, Aries, Scorpio or Capricorn).  Other people say Nettle holds a masculine energy – I believe it can appear to you as whichever is relevant for your relationship with it. Nettle is of course highly protective, yet at the same time can increase and draw in abundance to one’s life.

Contraindications/cautions:
-Pregnancy: It is possible that nettle can cause uterine contractions and thus should not be used during pregnancy, it is useful to use afterwards to replenish blood and increase milk flow.
-Low blood pressure: May lower blood pressure, so proceed with caution if you have low b.p already.
-Blood sugar: Nettle contains constituents that are both hyper and hypoglycemic, how it interacts with your blood sugar is dependent on many variables, thus proceed incrementally, with diligent monitoring, and professional medical advice.
-Kidney problems: Nettle can increase urine flow, so use cautiously if you have kidney problems where that is unhelpful or dangerous.
-High Blood Pressure Medications: If using Nettle in combination with high b.p medications such as enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan) etc. your blood pressure may drop too low.
-Warfarin (Coumadin) & Anti-coagulants: Nettle contains high amounts of vitamin K which helps with blood clotting, Warfarin is intended to reduce blood clotting so your dose of Warfarin may need to be changed.
-CNS Depressants: Sedatives such as clonazepam can cause excessive drowsiness in combination with Nettle.
-Anti-diabetes medications: Meds such as limepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), etc. that lower blood pressure may cause ones blood pressure to drop too low if used in combination with Nettle – dosages need to be adjusted as appropriate.
-Lithium: Nettle may decrease your body’s ability to get rid of lithium.