Stinging nettles

[The_simpsons]

A question about stinging nettles, since it is my favorite plant im eager to know this. The poison it injects with its stinging hair, what is the chemical composition of them? ive heard from several different sources which of the chemical makes it sting, but some say different things. i have read that its either formic acid or some mix of histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin(?) . or a mix of formic acid and all the others mentioned.

 

Anyone knows which of them are the true chemicals that causes the irritation and burning from nettle stings?

[Bluenoise]

Try wikipedia. They have a good explaination there. Formic acid = wrong. IT's an acetylcholine, histamine etc.. mixture.

[Prime-Evil]

It would be interesting to study the functions of the hairs themselves.

 

1. To cause immediate and direct physical discomfort.

2. To carry and release the chemical irritant irritants.

3. To break the surface of the target skin to increase contact and penetration.

4. To physically(nervous senses) as well as chemically stimulate an earlier anti-histamine response

which leads ultimately to a more enhanced but still directly associative learning response.

 

I find the last one very interesting, almost erotic, in a strictly academic sense of course.

.

[Prime-Evil]

They are rather naughty little plants, aren't they?

 

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[ecoli]

Try wikipedia. They have a good explaination there. Formic acid = wrong. IT's an acetylcholine, histamine etc.. mixture.

 

Formic acid is what ants secrete.

[Prime-Evil]

Formic acid is what ants secrete.

I wonder if part of the stimulation is that it simulates ant feet?

.

[Prime-Evil]

It's still possible to eat these plants isn't it?

 

EDIT - I guess they are dried first, and used more as a medicine than a food.

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/medicinal/bkq00s07.html

.

[Sayonara]

Yes, apparently nettle soup is quite nice.

[Royston]

I've tried it on a couple of occasions...it's bland and watery.

[KAZU]

I took a survival course and appearantly the cure for the sting is in the root. Pull the root out and apply to effected area and pain goes away. I've tried it and it seems to work, but it could be purely mental.

[aj47]

I took a survival course and appearantly the cure for the sting is in the root. Pull the root out and apply to effected area and pain goes away. I've tried it and it seems to work, but it could be purely mental.

 

Doc leaves are the best for stings and conveniantly they can always be found close by. I've always wondered why that was.

[silkworm]

The stinging nettle actually contains a large cocktail of acids. Formic acid and acetylcholine are responsible for the stinging.

[Neil9327]

It would be interesting to study the functions of the hairs themselves.

 

1. To cause immediate and direct physical discomfort.

2. To carry and release the chemical irritant irritants.

3. To break the surface of the target skin to increase contact and penetration.

4. To physically(nervous senses) as well as chemically stimulate an earlier anti-histamine response

which leads ultimately to a more enhanced but still directly associative learning response.

 

I find the last one very interesting' date=' almost erotic, in a strictly academic sense of course.

.[/quote']

 

I wonder whether it might be possible (in the near future)to genetic engineer a nettle plant to inject chemicals into our skins that make us feel good or do us good, rather than cause us pain.

Then we could use nettles to, for example, apply immunisations/anaesthetics for those who are scared of injections.

[wekaweka]

I wonder whether it might be possible (in the near future)to genetic engineer a nettle plant to inject chemicals into our skins that make us feel good or do us good, rather than cause us pain.

 

hell yeah, that would be an interesting way to get high!

 

"hey man, wanna go outside and roll around in the nettles for a bit?"

[john5746]

I wonder whether it might be possible (in the near future)to genetic engineer a nettle plant to inject chemicals into our skins that make us feel good or do us good, rather than cause us pain.

Then we could use nettles to, for example, apply immunisations/anaesthetics for those who are scared of injections.

 

You would have to build a good fence, because animals, including humans would be wallowing in them all the time!