The medicinal chemistry of Urtica dioica L.: from preliminary evidence to clinical studies supporting its neuroprotective activity

Semwal, Prabhakar; Rauf, Abdur; Olatunde, Ahmed; Singh, Pooja; Zaky, Mohamed Y.; Islam, Md. Mozahidul; Khalil, Anees Ahmed; Aljohani, Abdullah S. M.; Al Abdulmonem, Waleed; Ribaudo, Giovanni

doi:10.1007/s13659-023-00380-5

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…They possess antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, and antioxidant potential, they are effective in curing cardiovascular diseases, and could be used as herbal medicine directly or indirectly as food ingredients [ 70 ]. As in this study, widely traditionally used as medicine are also Urtica dioica , Melisa officinalis, and Taraxacum officinale , which possess diverse bioactive constituents useful in the prevention and treatment of various disorders [ 71 , 72 , 73 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia

Krstin,

Katanić,

Benčić

et al. 2024

Plants

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The Republic of Croatia is spread in geographical and climatic conditions that support a great diversity of habitats and associated plant taxa, many of which can be used for food or medicine. However, urbanization, loss of natural habitats, as well as changes in people’s dependence on the natural resources from the surrounding environment may lead to the loss of valuable knowledge about the use of plants and mushrooms. With the aim of studying and preserving this knowledge in the continental north-western part of Croatia, an ethnobotanical survey was undertaken at the two study areas—Valpovo and Đurđevac, which included a total of 17 settlements. A total of 103 informants, 65% female and 35% male, aged between 22 and 83 years, participated in an interview using pre-planned questionnaires. The informants reported 131 plants belonging to 55 families and 17 mushroom taxa. The largest number of plants belonged to the families of Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae. In both areas, the informants cultivate and also gather wild plants, but these practices are better preserved in the area of Đurđevac where 109 taxa from 47 families were recorded. In addition to cultivated and gathered plants, informants from the Valpovo area also reported the use of purchased plants. Plants and mushrooms are mostly used as food (21 plant taxa and 17 mushrooms), but plants also serve as medicine (68 taxa), as both food and medicine (35 taxa), feed for cattle (11 taxa), repellent (four taxa), and/or space freshener (two taxa). The most frequently used wild plants are Chamomilla recutita, Mentha x piperita, and Urtica dioica, while Boletus edulis, Agaricus campestris, and Macrolepiota procera are the most often used mushrooms. The results indicate that the local people in the studied north-western part of Croatia still nurture the practice of cultivating and gathering plants and that herbal remedies are considerably important among the informants. The study should be further extended to broaden and preserve valuable ethnobotanical knowledge and encourage the protection of culturally important plants of the studied area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia

Krstin,

Katanić,

Benčić

et al. 2024

Plants

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“…Urtica dioica has a longstanding history as an herbal remedy and a valuable addition to the diet. Indeed, previous research indicates that nettle possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has great potential for maintaining and enhancing cognitive performance and neuronal protection against damage from focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has a longstanding history as an herbal remedy and a valuable addition to the diet. Previous research indicates that nettle possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-aging properties [ 6 , 7 ]. Numerous studies have associated Urtica dioica extract with maintaining and enhancing cognitive performance [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urtica dioica Extract Abrogates Chlorpyrifos-Induced Toxicity in Zebrafish Larvae

Mhalhel,

Kadmi,

Ben Chira

et al. 2024

IJMS

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Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a widely used organophosphate insecticide, though its excessive use causes environmental contamination, raising concerns about its adverse effects on human health. In this regard, Urtica dioica stands out as a promising candidate for counteracting chemical ‘contaminant’ toxicity thanks to its therapeutic properties. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the potential of an Urtica dioica ethanolic extract (UDE) to mitigate chlorpyrifos-induced toxicity. Eight compounds in the Urtica dioica ethanolic extract have been identified, most of which present significant potential as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agents. Chlorpyrifos exposure altered hatching rates, increased the incidence of teratogenic effects, and upregulated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) in zebrafish larvae telencephalon. On the other hand, UDE demonstrated a preventive effect against CPF-induced teratogenicity, which is expressed by a lower morphological deformity rate. Moreover, the UDE showed a rather protective effect, maintaining the physiological condition of the telencephalon. Additionally, CPF altered the locomotor behavior of larvae, which was characterized by irregular swimming and increased activity. This defective behavioral pattern was slightly attenuated by the UDE. Our findings suggest that the UDE possesses significant protective properties against CPF-induced toxicity, probably conferred by its natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory contents. Still, further research is needed to elucidate the recruited mechanisms and implicated pathways on UDE’s protective effects.

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“…Extracts of U. dioica have been studied for their various potential therapeutic applications: antitumor, antimicrobial, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activity has been evidenced. Extracts showed antioxidant properties, and experimental tests proved that the constituents of U. dioica may have neuroprotective effects [263].…”

Section: Bioactive Phytochemicalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutraceutical Aspects of Selected Wild Edible Plants of the Italian Central Apennines

Fantasma,

Samukha,

Saviano

et al. 2024

Nutraceuticals

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All over the world, wild edible plants are an essential source of chemical components that justify their use in folk medicine. The aim of this review is to document and summarize the knowledge of ten wild plants analyzed in a previous study for their ethnomedical significance. Achillea millefolium, Borago officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare, Gentiana lutea, Juniperus communis, Laurus nobilis, Malva sylvestris, Satureja montana, Silybum marianum and Urtica dioica were the subjects of our study. They are commonly found in the central Italian Apennines and the Mediterranean basin. Phytochemicals contained in wild plants, such as phenols, polyphenols, flavonoids, condensed tannins, carotenoids, etc., are receiving increasing attention, as they exert a wide range of biological activities with resulting benefits for human health. Based on the 353 studies we reviewed, we focused our study on the following: (a) the ethnobotanical practices and bioactive phytochemicals; (b) the composition of polyphenols and their role as antioxidants; (c) the methodologies commonly used to assess antioxidant activity; (d) the most advanced spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques used to visualize and characterize all components (metabolomic fingerprinting). The potential of pure compounds and extracts to be used as nutraceuticals has also been highlighted through a supposed mechanism of action.

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The medicinal chemistry of Urtica dioica L.: from preliminary evidence to clinical studies supporting its neuroprotective activity

Cited by 8 publications

References 78 publications

Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia

Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia

Urtica dioica Extract Abrogates Chlorpyrifos-Induced Toxicity in Zebrafish Larvae

Nutraceutical Aspects of Selected Wild Edible Plants of the Italian Central Apennines

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