The Use of Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle) as a Blood Sugar Lowering Herb: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature.
Diabetes mellitus affects over 250 million people worldwide and is expected to affect
some 380 million by 2025. Each year another 7 million people develop diabetes.
The first line treatment for type 2 diabetes is diet, weight control and physical activity.
If blood glucose level remains high despite a trial of these lifestyle measures,
then medications are usually advised.
Although, there are many effective drugs available on the market, the majority of persons with
type 2 diabetes eventually fail to respond to a commonly used first-line oral medication
There are several categories of drugs for type 2 diabetes, including sulfonylureas,
biguanides, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, insulin, etc. Finding an
effective alternative oral treatment to avoid administration of exogenous insulin and/or other
therapies by daily needle injection would be desirable.
Some persons with diabetes continue to self-medicate with alternative products
such as herbs and other supplements. The blood glucose lowering effect of Stinging Nettle
has been noted in old writings.
Recently, some investigations have reported on the hypoglycemic effect of Urtica dioica,
but so far, the mechanism of this effect has not been deduced.
Some studies show that it may work as a secretagogue, or as a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated
Receptor (PPAR) agonist.
PPAR agonists are drugs that lower blood glucose level by enhancing insulin
secretion by Langerhans Islets.
A 57 year-old African-American contacted our drug information center regarding
the use of Stinging Nettle in lowering his blood sugar.
Diabetes Res Open J. 2015; 1(5): 123- 127. doi: 10.17140/DROJ-1-119
