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Review
. 2024 Mar 18;25(6):3430.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25063430.

Chemical Constituents of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A Comprehensive Review on Phenolic and Polyphenolic Compounds and Their Bioactivity

Saša Đurović  1   2 , Ivan Kojić  3 , Danka Radić  1 , Yulia A Smyatskaya  2 , Julia G Bazarnova  2 , Snežana Filip  4 , Tomislav Tosti  5
Affiliations
Review

Chemical Constituents of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A Comprehensive Review on Phenolic and Polyphenolic Compounds and Their Bioactivity

Saša Đurović et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Polyphenolic compounds are of great interest in today's science. Naturally, they occur in plants and other sources in many different forms. Their wide range of biological activity has attracted the attention of the scientific community. One of the sources of phenolic compounds is stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.), a common plant in almost all parts of the world. A long tradition of utilization and an interesting chemical profile make this plant a fascinating and extensive object of study. The chemical profile also allows this plant to be used as a food and a pigment source in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Previously conducted studies found phenolic acids and polyphenolic compounds in root, stalk, and stinging nettle leaves. Different extraction techniques were usually used to isolate them from the leaves. Obtained extracts were used to investigate biological activity further or formulate different functional food products. This study aimed to collect all available knowledge about this plant, its chemical composition, and biological activity and to summarize this knowledge with particular attention to polyphenolic compounds and the activity and mechanisms of their actions.

Keywords: biological activity; chemical profile; mechanisms of action; phenolic acids; polyphenolic compounds; stinging nettle.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stinging nettle (photo taken by Tomislav Tosti).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic presentation of phenolic and polyphenolic bioactivities.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The structural formula of most abundant phenolic and polyphenolic acids in stinging nettle (Urtica dioica): (A) p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, (B) Protocatechuic acid, (C) Vanillic acid, (D) Caffeic acid, (E) Ferulic acid, (F) 5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Structural formulas of most abundant flavonoids in stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). (A) Aesculin, (B) Naringin, (C) Quercetin, (D) Quercetin-3-O-galactoside, (E) Rutin (quercetin 3-O-rutinoside), (F) Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, (G) Isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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