Traditional Use of Stinging Nettle Root: History and Evidence
By Real Herbs Editorial Team · Published October 2026 · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read
Key takeaway: Nettle has a long history as a food and a folk remedy, but folk medicine used the leaves and herb more than the root. The root became a recognized herbal medicine for urinary symptoms of BPH in the twentieth century, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) accepts it today on the basis of traditional use, not well-established use. Traditional use tells us how long and for what a plant has been used, and it is not proof that it works.
Nettle root is often described as an ancient remedy. This guide separates what the documented record says from the romance: who recorded what, which plant part, and what the European regulator concluded after reviewing the history.
Disclosure: Real Herbs sells a stinging nettle root extract. We report the historical sources as published, and none of them tested this exact product.
What “traditional use” means
In European herbal regulation, a traditional herbal medicinal product can be registered on the basis of long-standing use, without full clinical proof of efficacy, if comparable products have been on the market for a long period (more than 30 years in the nettle root case) ([1]). That is a lower bar than “well-established use”, which needs published clinical evidence. The difference matters for nettle root, as the sections below show.
The documented record
The EMA root assessment report reviews the history of the root in section 2.2. We summarize it below, using the report’s own account.
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Period or place | Plant part | Use recorded | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16th century onward in Europe | Root | The report says root was first mentioned as a herbal medicine by Paracelsus and Matthiolus, citing Madaus (1938) | EMA report ([1]) |
| Russian folk medicine | Root and seed powder | Dropsy (swelling from fluid retention), diarrhoea and worms | EMA report ([1]) |
| Lithuanian folk medicine | Aerial parts and roots (infusion) | Atrophy (wasting) | EMA report ([1]) |
| Eclectic practitioners | Leaf and root | Blood purifier and diuretic | EMA report ([1]) |
| African medicine | Root | Diarrhoea and as an anthelmintic | EMA report ([1]) |
| Other folk uses listed | Varied | Enteritis, dandruff and hair preparations, kidney stones, mild diuresis, gargles, gout and rheumatic disorders | EMA report ([1]) |
| 1950s onward | Root | First used for urinary tract disorders; Commission E approved use for urinary problems in BPH stages I and II (cited as 1986) | EMA report ([1]) |
The report also notes that folk medicine relied more on the herb and leaves than on the root ([1]). Nettle as a whole was widely used: reviews describe nettles across diverse traditional medicines for skin diseases, wounds, urinary disorders, respiratory complaints, bone and joint pain, anaemia and circulatory problems, and in skin and hair care ([2], PMID 35693473). Nettle was also eaten, and in Poland it was among the wild plants gathered as food in times of scarcity ([3], PMID 17433114). In most of these records the plant part is the leaf or the whole herb, which is why our root versus leaf guide treats them separately.
What the EMA concluded
The EMA’s Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products assessed nettle root under European herbal medicine law. Its report states two conclusions ([1]):
- Well-established use was not established. The committee concluded that efficacy had not been proven sufficiently for a well-established use claim for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related to BPH.
- Traditional use was accepted. Several preparations had been on the market for more than 30 years with LUTS-related indications, so they met the traditional use requirement. The accepted indication is a traditional herbal medicinal product for relief of LUTS related to BPH after serious conditions have been excluded by a medical doctor.
The report also says no entry for the European Union list of herbal substances is supported, because adequate published genotoxicity data were lacking ([1]). For the clinical research behind the BPH indication, see our BPH guide.
Other traditions
Nettle root is sometimes described in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda or Indigenous healing. For these, we can document only a little. A 2024 computer-modelling paper states that nettle has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine for joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis, without naming the plant part ([4], PMID 39351010). We did not find sources we could verify for root-specific use in Ayurveda or in Indigenous healing practice, so we do not describe them here. Pages that do should cite primary sources for the plant part and the use.
What history can and cannot tell us
Long use shows that people found a plant worth trying, and it can point researchers toward questions. It does not establish that the plant worked, because symptoms often improve on their own and traditional records rarely separate the plant from other influences. A systematic review of nettle’s antibacterial activity from the University of Warwick is a useful example. It found no strong evidence that nettle extracts contain clinically useful antimicrobials and suggested that traditional wound preparations may have worked simply as a safe medium for vinegar or oils ([2], PMID 35693473).
For nettle root, the modern position is therefore specific: accepted in Europe for traditional use in BPH-related urinary symptoms after a doctor has excluded serious causes, supported by some clinical trials, and not established as a well-established medicine. For safety, the EMA report notes gastrointestinal complaints and allergic skin reactions as undesirable effects with frequency not known, and lists no reported interactions, though interaction data are absent. Use during pregnancy and lactation is not recommended because reproductive data are lacking ([1]). See our safety guide and interactions guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is stinging nettle root an ancient remedy?
Nettle has a long history as a food and folk remedy. The EMA report says root was first mentioned as a herbal medicine in the 16th century by Paracelsus and Matthiolus and that folk medicine relied more on the herb and leaves. Use of the root for urinary tract disorders dates from the 1950s.
What is nettle root traditionally used for?
The EMA lists folk uses including dropsy, diarrhoea, worms, blood purifying, diuresis, gout and rheumatic disorders, dandruff and hair preparations, and urinary complaints. Its accepted traditional indication today is relief of urinary symptoms related to BPH after a doctor has excluded serious conditions.
Is nettle root approved by the EMA?
The EMA assessed it and accepted traditional use for LUTS related to BPH. It concluded that well-established use, which needs stronger clinical evidence, was not established.
Does traditional use prove nettle root works?
No. Traditional use records what people used and for how long. It does not separate the plant from placebo effects or natural recovery.
Is nettle root used in Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda?
We could verify only that nettle in general is said to be used in Chinese medicine for joint pain, without a plant part named. We did not find verifiable root-specific sources for Ayurveda.
Is traditional nettle root tea the same as a root extract?
No. Traditional preparations were teas, infusions, powders and syrups. A 10:1 extract is a concentrate, and research on one preparation does not carry over to another.
Should I take nettle root because it has been used for centuries?
History is a reason for curiosity, not proof. If you are considering it for urinary symptoms, see a doctor first to rule out serious conditions and discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist.
The bottom line
The record shows nettle as a long-used plant, with the root playing a smaller and later role than the leaf, and a regulator that accepts the root for traditional use in BPH-related urinary symptoms. That is a reason to look at the clinical research, which we cover in our other guides, and not a reason to skip a doctor’s advice.
Real Herbs Stinging Nettle Root Extract: 750 mg of 10:1 root extract per capsule (about 7,500 mg dried root equivalent), 100 vegetarian capsules. Backed by our 100-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Real Herbs sells this product. The trials and the EMA documents did not test this exact product.
Related reading
- What is stinging nettle root?
- Nettle root vs. nettle leaf: key differences
- Stinging nettle root for BPH: what the research shows
- Nettle root side effects and who should avoid it
References
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Assessment report on Urtica dioica L.; Urtica urens L., radix. EMA/HMPC/322627/2023. Final, Revision 1, 22 January 2025. ema.europa.eu
- Harrison F, Furner-Pardoe J, Connelly E. An assessment of the evidence for antibacterial activity of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) extracts. Access Microbiol. 2022;4(3):000336. PMID 35693473 · DOI 10.1099/acmi.0.000336
- Łuczaj Ł, Szymański WM. Wild vascular plants gathered for consumption in the Polish countryside: a review. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007;3:17. PMID 17433114 · DOI 10.1186/1746-4269-3-17
- Qasmi M, Fareed MM, Ali H, Khan Z, Shityakov S. Integrative multi-target analysis of Urtica dioica for gout arthritis treatment: a network pharmacology and clustering approach. In Silico Pharmacol. 2024;12(2):88. PMID 39351010 · DOI 10.1007/s40203-024-00254-9
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you have a medical condition or take medication. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
