How do "Dock leaves" work to reduce itching from stinging nettles?
Dock leaves are the wild cure to stinging nettles, right? Everyone knows this.
But how do they stop the stinging? What's the mechanism?
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/8798. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
This has been answered at https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/3031/does-rubbing-a-dock-leaf-on-a-sting-from-a-stinging-nettle-help-to-reduce-pain
For posterity I will recreate the answer
This is from a forum post so it could use a bit more of a hard reference, but it contains some useful and verifiable info:
It is said that nettle stings are caused by the formic acid in the sting solution. If it were true, then Dock leaves, which contain Oxalic acid, would not be a remedy. The extremely fine syringe type hair of the Nettle breaks off easily and penetrates the skin. Within this hair is a stinging solution which is only 1% Formic acid. A 2% - 10% concentration is required for the acid to be an irritant. It is histamine and serotonin in the sting which cause the irritation.
Dock leaf sap contains a natural antihistamine. If you rub too hard with the dock leaf, you will merely disturb the nettle sting in your skin and make it worse. The best way to deal with the problem is to break off some dock leaf and chew it for a few seconds, then gently rub the saliva/dock sap mixture around the sting. The antihistamine from the dock leaf together with the natural healing properties of saliva will ease the stinging sensation.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/8942. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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