Components:

• Acids: caffeic, ferulic, folacin ( plant ) ; ascorbic ( leaves) ; linoleic, oleic and palmitic (seeds ) , formic, galic, acetic. ( stinging hairs)
• Vitamins: B (niacin, riboflavin,thiamin, B6) B ( choline) (leaves)
• Mucilage (plant)
• Lecithin (plant)
• Histamine (stinging hairs)
• Serotonin (stinging hairs)
• Acetyl-choline ( stinging hairs)
• Tannins (plant, especialmente la raíz )
• Minerals: Nitrogen, potassium, iron, calcium, sulphur, magnesium,aluminium
  ( leaves)
• Alcohols: glycerol (seed)
• Chlorophyll

Medicinal properties:

Internal use:

Digestive tract stimulant and antidiarrhetic: It protects the liver and helps it to recover in case of hepatic disease. It favour the biliary function - Caffeic, linoleic and oleic acids take an active part protecting the liver- Increasing the secretions, it contributes to peristaltism , which eases digestion by helping the stomach. At the same time it can be consisered a soft laxative. ( Infusion of two teaspoons of dry leaves per litre of water. Take three times a day before meals.) Its richness in tannins, mainly the root, makes it suitable fot the treatment of diarrhea ( Decocction of dry root for 10 minutes . Drink 3 cups a day)

Hemostatic: It stops bleeding and prevents the uncontrolled flowing of blood. Very suitable to treat haemophilia and menopause.
(Juice of fresh plant, obtained by crashing the plant and filtering the pulp. The same liquid can be bought in a health food shop or herbalist

Anti-arteriosclerotic: Being so rich in Chlorophyll, it is veruy useful for the treatment of a arteriosclerosis and for blood circulation (The previous juice treatment its good in this sense.)

Anti-diabetic: It diminished the sugar level in blood and prevents from diabetes ( Boil a handful of fresh nettles in water and drink 3 cups a day.)

Anti-anemic: Because of its high iron contents, it is ideal to cure anemia.
( Drink vegetal broth, made with nettles and other vegetables)

galactagogue: It increments the flowing of milk in lactating women ( Tomar caldo vegetal, realizado con ortigas y otras verduras )

Diuretic: It helps the body to get rid of water, which becomes very interesting on only for the treatment of obesity, but in all these maladies that improve by the riddance of water and toxins: circulatory deseases, hepatic, gout, arthritis, rheumatism, etc ( Decoction of dry root for 10 minutes. Drink 3 cups a day)
( Infusion of 2 teaspoons of dry leaves in a liter of water. 3 times a day before meals.)

Another uses:

Food:

• Nettles constitute an excellent food when prepared as a vegetable or in combination with other vegetables, such as potatoes or spinachs. To be edible they must be picked and left to rest for half a day. Then, after being cooked, they are not hot at all, because formic acid has been eliminated. They are very good when boiled or fried as omelette. No matter how they are prepared, we can enjoy them and they give us all their medicinal properties.

Cosmetic:

• They are very beneficial for the skin care, giving it a fine texture by getting rid of imperfections such as: pimples, eczema, herps, acne...etc.
  ( Pour a handfull of stinging nettles in the water of the bath) ( Another treatments may lead to the same end: Decoction of a handful of dry nettles in a litre of water. 2 or 3 cups a day. / Eat them as a vegetable, boiled together with spinachs. / nettle juice.)
  

Hair-treatment:

• It has been tested its regenerating power of the hair-skin, as well as its capacity to fight dandruff and seborrhoea and other disorders related with hair loss. Because of this, although it can not be considered a miraculous elixir against baldness, it can help to prevent it or at least to delay it. ( Maceration of 100 gr. of dry stinging nettle and rosemary in a litre of anisette during 15 days. Massage the hairy skin in the morning and before going to bed.)

Toxicity: One should not abuse of this plant because sometimes it can produce stomachic reactions. Being a plant that generally leaves on organic refusal, it tends to accumulate big quantities of nitrates, so, unles taken with moderation, it may become harmful. There has been reported skin reactions and urination problems. In contact with the skin its stinging hairs are reponsible for the strong pain.

Picking-up and storing: The plant can be collected at the beginning of spring till autumn. When used dried, it should be dried in the shade and stored in a a dry place. Roots must be collected at the end of august and, after being dried in the sun, they must be stored in an airtight container.