Nettle: What Do We Really Know?

Nettle is a good example of why saying simply that “a herb has been scientifically proven” can be misleading. The clearest clinical evidence concerns nettle root extracts and urinary symptoms associated with benign prostate enlargement. This does not mean that nettle...

Where Does Nettle Have the Strongest Evidence?

The strongest clinical evidence for nettle concerns urinary symptoms associated with benign enlargement of the prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Importantly, these studies mainly involve nettle root extracts. Clinical research has reported improvements...

What Gives Nettle Its Power?

Stinging nettle contains a surprisingly diverse mixture of natural compounds, and different parts of the plant have different chemical profiles. Extracts made from nettle leaves are particularly rich in polyphenols. Important compounds include chlorogenic,...

The Science Behind Calendula’s Golden Flowers

Calendula’s brilliant yellow and orange flowers are not just beautiful. Their colour is connected to some of the plant’s interesting natural chemistry. The flowers contain carotenoids, a family of natural pigments responsible for many of the yellow, orange...

Calendula: What Do We Really Know?

Calendula provides a good example of why we should distinguish between traditional use, laboratory findings and evidence from human studies. The strongest clinical support currently concerns topical calendula preparations, particularly creams and ointments used on the...