A Systematic Review of Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Ethnopharmacological Studies of Urtica simensis (Stinging Nettle)

Abstract

Tesfaye Yimer Tadesse,1 Mulugeta Molla Zeleke,1 Samuel Berihun Dagnew,2 Getu Tesfaw Addis3 1Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health Science College, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia; 2Clinical Pharmacy Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health Science College, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia; 3Social and Administrative Pharmacy Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health Science College, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tesfaye Yimer Tadesse, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health Science College, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Amhara, 272, Ethiopia, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: The Urticaceae family contains 54 genera and more than 2000 species that can be found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates all over the world. This family includes the largest genus in the world, Urtica, which is also known as stinging nettle. Stinging hairs are present on the lower surface of the leaves and beneath the stems of Urtica simensis, also known as the stinging nettle, herbal nettle that is dioecious, upright, and unbranched. For the treatment of conditions like gastritis, heart disease, diabetes, gonorrhea, and malaria, people employ various portions of Urtica simensis in a variety of ways in traditional medicine. The Urtica simensis leaves are rich in variety of active secondary phytochemical constituents including terpenoids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, polyphenols, sterols, oxalate, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). According to different reports, it possesses a variety of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antiproliferative, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antiulcer, antibacterial, and antifungal actions. The current review summarizes published and unpublished information about the ethnobotanical, phytochemical, ethnopharmacological, and toxicological reports of Urtica simensis and summarizes all the research work carried out on this plant to provide updated information for future work.Keywords: Urtica simensis, ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical studies, ethnopharmacological studies, Ethiopia

Keywords

• urtica simensis
• ethnobotanical uses
• phytochemical studies
• ethnopharmacological studies
• ethiopia