White Dead-Nettle

Lamium album

Other names: White Dead-Nettle

Edible plant

European

Photo credit: Coyau (Wikimedia Commons)

Safety information

Toxicity: None known; not a stinging plant despite the name.

Contraindications: None specified by source.

Interactions: None specified by source.

Evidence level

Folk

Reported in folk medicine sources; not clinically validated. Folk and historical sources have not been validated by clinical research.

Preparations

decoction, infusion/tea (with honey), tincture of fresh herb, bruised leaves applied externally · herb/flowers

Part used: herb/flowers

Traditional use: check haemorrhage (spitting blood, dysentery, female complaints); staunch wounds, bruises, burns; promote perspiration; folk blood purifier for rashes/eczema(Folk and historical sources have not been validated by clinical research.)

Proposed mechanism: astringent; not clinically established

Evidence:Folk

General preparation guide →

Associated conditions

Wounds / cuts Skin conditions (general)Bleeding / haemorrhage

Edibility

Edible parts: flowers baked with sugar; young plant eaten as a pot-herb in Sweden (Linnaeus)

Toxic lookalike warning

Chiefly mistaken for the stinging nettle before flowering - distinguish by the square HOLLOW stem and absence of sting.

Nutritional notes

Minor; occasional pot-herb.

Healing traditions

European

Sources (1)

Grieve M., A Modern Herbal — botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/nettle03.html

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