IMPORTANCE OF MAGNESIUM URTICA DIOICA, OFTEN CALLED COMMON NETTLE OR STINGING NETTLE (ALTHOUGH NOT ALL PLANTS OF THIS SPECIESSTING), IS A HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL FLOWERING PLANT, NATIVE TO EUROPE, ASIA, NORTHERN AFRICA, AND NORTH AMERICA, AND IS THE BEST-KNOWN MEMBER OF THE NETTLE GENUS URTICA. THE SPECIES IS DIVIDED INTO SIXSUBSPECIES, FIVE OF WHICH HAVE MANY HOLLOW STINGING HAIRS CALLED TRICHOMES ON THE LEAVES AND STEMS, WHICH ACT LIKE HYPODERMIC NEEDLES, INJECTING HISTAMINE AND OTHER CHEMICALS THAT PRODUCE A STINGING SENSATION WHEN CONTACTED BY HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS.[1] THE PLANT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF USE AS A MEDICINE, AS A FOOD SOURCE AND AS A SOURCE OF FIBRE. NETTLE HAS BEEN USED IN HERBAL MEDICINE AS A: DIURETIC. SUPPORTIVE THERAPY TO HELP RELIEVE RHEUMATIC COMPLAINTS. NUTRITIVE TONIC. SEASONAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS RELIEF. CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS CONSULT A HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST OR WORSEN. CONTRAINDICATIONS DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. BALK E, CHUNG M, LICHTENSTEIN A, CHEW P, KUPELNICK B, LAWRENCE A, DEVINE D, LAU J. EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS AND INTERMEDIATE MARKERS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. SUMMARY, EVIDENCE REPORT/TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT NO. 93. AHRQ NO. 04-E010-1. ROCKVILLE (MD): AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY; 2004. BP 2012: BRITISH PHARMACOPOEIA 2012. VOLUME II. LONDON (GB): THE STATIONARY OFFICE ON BEHALF OF THE MEDICINES AND HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS REGULATORY AGENCY (MHRA); 2012. EFSA 2012: EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY. SCIENTIFIC OPINION: SCIENTIFIC OPINION ON THE TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVEL OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID (EPA), DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA) AND DOCOSAPENTAENOIC ACID (DPA). EFSA PANEL ON DIETETIC PRODUCTS, NUTRITION AND ALLERGIES (NDA). EFSA JOURNAL 2012;10(7):2815. [INTERNET]. AVAILABLE FROM: HTTP://WWW.EFSA.EUROPA.EU/EN/EFSAJOURNAL/DOC/2815.PDF EU 2011: EUROPEAN COMMISSION. COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) NO 1259/2011 OF 2 DECEMBER 2011 AMENDING REGULATION (EC) NO 1881/2006 AS REGARDS MAXIMUM LEVELS FOR DIOXINS, DIOXIN-LIKE PCBS AND NON DIOXIN-LIKE PCBS IN FOODSTUFFS. OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION L 320/18 3.12.2011 [INTERNET]. AVAILABLE FROM: HTTP://EUR-LEX.EUROPA.EU/LEXURISERV/LEXURISERV.DO?URI=OJ:L:2011:320:0018:0023:EN:PDF EU 2012: EUROPEAN COMMISSION. COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) NO 252/2012 OF 21 MARCH 2012 LAYING DOWN THE METHODS OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS FOR THE OFFICIAL CONTROL OF LEVELS OF DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE PCBS AND NON-DIOXIN-LIKE PCBS IN CERTAIN FOODSTUFFS AND REPEALING REGULATION (EC) NO 1883/2006. OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION L 84/1 23.3.2012 [INTERNET]. AVAILABLE FROM: HTTP://EUR-LEX.EUROPA.EU/LEXURISERV/LEXURISERV.DO?URI=OJ:L:2012:084:0001:0022:EN:PDF FONTANI G, CORRADESCHI F, FELICI A, ALFATTI F, BUGARINI R, FIASCHI AI, CERRETANI D, MONTORFANO G, RIZZO AM, BERRA B. 2005B. BLOOD PROFILES, BODY FAT AND MOOD STATE IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS ON DIFFERENT DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH OMEGA-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION 35(8):499-507. FONTANI G, CORRADESCHI F, FELICI A, ALFATTI F, MIGLIORINI S, LODI L. 2005A. COGNITIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTATION IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION 35(11):691-699. FREUND-LEVI Y, ERIKSDOTTER-JONHAGEN M, CEDERHOLM T, BASUN H, FAXEN-IRVING G, GARLIND A, VEDIN I, VESSBY B, WAHLUND LO, PALMBLAD J. 2006. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACID TREATMENT IN 174 PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE ALZHEIMER DISEASE: OMEGAD STUDY. ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY 63(10):1402-1408. FROESE R, PAULY D, EDITORS. FISHBASE: A GLOBAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ON FISHES. PENANG (MALAYSIA): WORLDFISH CENTER, 2005. [ACCESSED 2012-01-30]. AVAILABLE FROM: HTTP://WWW.FISHBASE.ORG GIEDD JN, BLUMENTHAL J, JEFFRIES NO, CASTELLANOS FX, LIU H, ZIJDENBOS A, PAUS T, EVANS AC, RAPOPORT JL. 1999. BRAIN DEVELOPMENT DURING CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE: A LONGITUDINAL MRI STUDY. NATURE NEUROSCIENCE 2(10):861-863. HAAG M. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS AND THE BRAIN. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 2003;48(3):195-203. HC 2007: EVIDENCE FOR QUALITY OF FINISHED NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS, VERSION 2.0 [INTERNET]. OTTAWA (ON): NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS DIRECTORATE, HEALTH CANADA, 2007. [INTERNET]. AVAILABLE FROM: HTTP://WWW.HC-SC.GC.CA/DHP-MPS/PRODNATUR/LEGISLATION/DOCS/EQ-PAQ-ENG.PHP HOOPER L, THOMPSON RL, HARRISON RA, SUMMERBELL CD, MOORE H, WORTHINGTON HV, DURRINGTON PN, NESS AR, CAPPS NE, DAVEY SMITH G, RIEMERSMA RA, EBRAHIM SBJ. OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. THE COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS. ISSUE 4. ART. NO.: CD003177. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003177.PUB2.; 2004. This page is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the medicinal ingredient.