A Review on Stinging Nettle: Medicinal and Traditional Uses

Abstract

In Nepal, stinging nettles, also known as “sisnu” or “bichu ghaas,” play a significant role in cultural and traditional traditions. For the inhabitants of Nepal, stinging nettles have cultural importance in addition to being useful as food and medicine. These stinging plants’ fragile leaves and shoots are used extensively in Nepalese culinary customs to enhance dishes like “sisnu ko saag.” Nettles’ high nutritional value, which is enhanced by their abundance of vitamins, minerals, and proteins, enriches the local diet, especially in rural locations where a variety of vegetables could be hard to come by. Stinging nettles have gained acceptance in conventional medical procedures in addition to their culinary usage. Nettle extracts and teas are frequently used in Nepali communities to treat conditions including joint pain, arthritis, and allergies because they think that nettles have diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving characteristics. In Nepali hair care practices, nettles are also used as a natural cure for preserving healthy hair and scalp. Culturally, the intake of stinging nettles is associated with rites and festivals like Dashain, where it has symbolic meaning. The fibers taken from nettle stalks are used to make traditional fabrics and apparel, conserving artisanal techniques from the past.