Herb & supplement monograph

Stinging Nettle Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Stinging Nettle interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Stinging Nettle is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Stinging Nettle is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Stinging Nettle Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Stinging Nettle drug interaction appears low for most people, though a few medicines deserve closer watching. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and all of them rest on limited, mostly theoretical or animal evidence rather than well-documented human studies.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The best-supported concern involves diabetes medications, since human research suggests stinging nettle may lower blood sugar, which could add to the effect of these drugs. There is also a concern with warfarin, because stinging nettle contains a good amount of vitamin K, which in large quantities might work against this blood thinner. Lithium is worth noting too, since animal research hints that stinging nettle's effect on fluid balance could raise lithium levels, a drug that needs careful level control. A similar fluid effect could, in theory, add to prescription water pills.

What the rest of the list means

Stinging nettle appears alongside a long list of medications, but that does not mean each pairing is harmful. Most of these interactions are theoretical, predicted from possible additive effects on blood sugar, fluid balance, or clotting rather than shown in people. For many combinations, no meaningful problem has actually been documented in humans.

Check your medications against Stinging Nettle

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Stinging Nettle interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Stinging Nettle

164 medications have a known interaction with Stinging Nettle, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Stinging Nettle using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Stinging Nettle interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Stinging Nettle combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Stinging Nettle affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Stinging Nettle is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 4 drug categories Stinging Nettle interacts with

Antidiabetes DrugsDiuretic DrugsLithiumWarfarin (coumadin)

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, stinging nettle might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.
Clinical research shows that stinging nettle might decrease blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Diuretic Drugs

Theoretically, combining stinging nettle with diuretic drugs may have additive effects.
Animal research suggests that the above ground parts and roots of stinging nettle may have a diuretic effect.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Lithium

Theoretically, stinging nettle might reduce excretion and increase levels of lithium.
Animal research suggests that stinging nettle has diuretic and natriuretic properties, which could alter the excretion of lithium. The dose of lithium might need to be decreased.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Warfarin (Coumadin)

There is some concern that stinging nettle might decrease the effects of anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin.
Stinging nettle contains a significant amount of vitamin K. When taken in large quantities, this might interfere with the activity of warfarin.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Stinging Nettle: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Stinging nettle is a common plant used as food and in traditional medicine, most often for prostate symptoms, allergies, and joint pain. The evidence is mixed and mostly preliminary, so it is best thought of as a supportive option rather than a proven treatment. It is generally well tolerated, but pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it and everyone should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Scientific name: Urtica dioica
Family: Urticaceae
Part used: Leaves, roots, and seeds (aerial parts)
Common forms: Tea, capsules, tablets, tinctures, liquid extracts, dried leaf, topical creams, and cooked greens

People commonly use it for

Enlarged prostate (BPH) symptoms
Seasonal allergies
Joint pain and arthritis
Urinary symptoms / mild diuretic
Blood sugar support

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated for most adults when used as directed, but evidence and quality vary by product.

PregnancyLikely Unsafe

When used orally due to possible abortifacient and uterine-stimulant effects.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a leafy perennial plant native to Europe, Asia, and North America and now found in many parts of the world. It is named for the tiny stinging hairs on its leaves and stems, which can cause a temporary burning, itchy rash when you brush against the fresh plant.

People have used nettle for hundreds of years as both a food and a folk remedy. The young leaves can be cooked like spinach (cooking removes the sting), and they are rich in vitamins and minerals. The leaves, roots, and seeds are also dried and made into teas, capsules, tinctures, and creams.

Today nettle is most commonly taken for prostate symptoms, seasonal allergies, joint and muscle pain, and as a gentle diuretic ("water pill"). Different parts of the plant are used for different purposes — for example, the root is often used for prostate concerns and the leaf for allergies.

How it works

Nettle contains many plant compounds, including flavonoids such as quercetin, plant sterols, lignans, vitamins, and minerals. The exact way it works is not fully understood, and most of what we know comes from laboratory and animal research rather than large human trials.

For allergies, researchers think compounds in nettle may help calm parts of the body's inflammatory and histamine response. For prostate symptoms, nettle root may affect certain hormones and proteins involved in prostate tissue, though this is not fully proven. Its mild diuretic effect may increase urine output.

Because these mechanisms are based largely on test-tube and animal studies, they should be viewed as possible explanations rather than firmly established facts.

Effectiveness

Does Stinging Nettle work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 17 uses evaluated

1 Possibly effective 16 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Diabetes