At the beginning of the last century, nettle was considered a common weed, avoided by people and animals because of the stinging and burning sensation it caused upon gentle touch. However, over the centuries, this extraordinary plant has had multiple uses, ranging from medicinal purposes to cosmetics, dyeing, and ending with textile production. Even in ancient times, flogging with nettles was practiced, which was believed to help with many ailments. The plant itself had a place in Roman, Germanic, and Slavic mythology. For example, ancient Slavs believed that nettle placed on the threshold would protect the household from evil spirits and witches. In some regions of Poland, it was believed that smoke from burned nettles would dispel stormy clouds and ensure good weather.
Today, with the growing demand for natural products, nettle is making a comeback, and its extract is an excellent ingredient for modern cosmetic formulations. Among the bioactive ingredients of nettle leaf extracts, polyphenols such as flavonoids and phenolic acids (e.g., syringic, caffeic, ferulic, and gallic) constitute the largest group. These compounds are known primarily for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. Chlorophylls, carotenoids, and fatty acids are also important components of nettle leaf extracts. While chlorophylls and carotenoids act as plant assimilation pigments, responsible for the process of photosynthesis and solar energy conversion, as an extract component, they can suppress harmful photochemical reactions involving oxygen, giving them antioxidant properties. Among the fatty acids present in nettle extracts, alpha-linolenic acid, belonging to the group of omega-3 fatty acids, is dominant.
Moreover, nettle leaf and root extracts are rich in vitamins A, C, K, and B, tannins, and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium).
Our offer includes water, water-glycerin, and water-glycol extracts, alcohol, and water-alcohol extracts.
Raw material: leaves, roots
INCI: Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Root Extract
Function: conditioning.
Bibliography:
1. Otto Schmeil Świat roślinny, Arct-Golczewska, Maria (1872–1913) : Oprac ; Buczek, Henryk : Oprac Wydawnictwo M. Arcta ; (Drukarnia M. Arcta), Warszawa 1917
2. Jakub Mowszowicz: Przewodnik do oznaczania krajowych roślin zielarskich. Warszawa: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Rolnicze i Leśne, 1985, s. 87. ISBN 83-09-00682-9.
3. Leonidas Świejkowski: Rośliny lecznicze występujące w stanie dzikim. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Polskiego Związku Zielarskiego, 1950.
4. Słowianka Krakowianka, strona www, Pokrzywa w tradycji słowiańskiej i ludowej, 27.05.2020, URL: https://slowianka-krakowianka.pl/pokrzywa-w-tradycji-slowianskiej-i-ludowej/, dostęp z dn. 02.11.2022
5. María Flórez, Patricia Cazón and Manuel Vázquez. Antioxidant Extracts of Nettle (Urtica dioica) Leaves: Evaluation of Extraction Techniques and Solvents. Molecules. 2022 Sep 15;27(18):6015. doi: 10.3390/molecules27186015.
6. Khuma Kumari Bhusal, Saraddha Khasu Magar, Ronika Thapa, Ashish Lamsal, Sagar Bhandari, Rashmi Maharjan, Sami Shrestha, Jiban Shrestha, Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review, Heliyon, 2022, 8 (6), ISSN 2405-8440, doi: 0.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09717.
7. Cosmetic ingredient database. Ingredient: Urtica Dioica leaf extract , strona www, URL: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.details_v2&id=59990 dostęp z dn. 02.11.2022
8. Cosmetic ingredient database. Ingredient: Urtica Dioica root extract , strona www, URL: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.details_v2&id=59992 dostęp z dn. 02.11.2022
See also
Guava extract
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Burdock extract
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Oak extract
The oak tree surpasses all other trees in our forests in hardness, strength, and longevity. Due to its vitality of up to 2,000 years and the magnificence of its crown, this tree embodies strength, and an oak leaf wreath signifies fame and victory.
