Benefits
Traditional German tea for the upper airways
Germany's Commission E recognized white dead-nettle flowers, taken internally, for catarrh (excess mucus) of the upper airways, at 3 g of dried flowers a day, usually as tea. Only the flower was recognized, not the whole herb. This rests on long-standing use; no trial in people has tested the flower tea for this.
Flowers rich in iridoids, phenylpropanoids and flavonoids
In lab analyses of the flowers, the iridoid lamalbid was the most abundant compound measured (about 39 mg per g of a dry water extract), alongside chlorogenic acid, verbascoside and flavonoids such as rutin and tiliroside. The petals also contain oleanolic acid (about 0.15%) and only traces of essential oil.
Inflammatory signals in human immune cells in lab tests
In lab tests on human neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, an ethanol extract of the flowers at 25 and 100 µg/mL reduced the production of oxygen radicals, myeloperoxidase and the inflammatory messenger IL-8. Isolated iridoids and phenylpropanoids from the herb also lowered IL-8. These are cell studies, not effects measured in people.
Skin cell growth with a flower extract in lab tests
In cultures of human skin fibroblasts, a heptane extract of the dried flowers kept most cells alive and raised their metabolic activity over time, which the authors linked to possible wound repair. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were toxic to sparse cultures above 125 µg/mL. This is cell work only.
Skin scores in a placebo-controlled three-herb oral trial
In a double-blind trial in 49 patients with atopic dermatitis, 2 weeks of a blend of Eleutherococcus, yarrow and white dead-nettle, taken by mouth three times daily, improved skin measures, but placebo improved them just as much, with no significant difference. The plant part and amount of white dead-nettle were not given in the abstract.
Mechanism of action
Iridoids and phenylpropanoids damp neutrophil signals
In lab tests, flower and herb extracts reduced IL-8 release and oxygen radical production by human neutrophils, white blood cells that drive early inflammation, and isolated constituents such as lamalbid and verbascoside lowered IL-8. Whether these compounds reach useful levels in the body after drinking the tea is unknown.
Mucilage and tannins
The Commission E summary lists mucilage, tannins and saponins among the flower's constituents and describes the drug as astringent through its tannins. Mucilage and astringent tannins are the traditional rationale for its soothing use on mucous membranes; this has not been measured in people taking the tea.
Antioxidant polyphenols in the petals
The petals carry glandular hairs that store flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins, and flower extracts scavenged free radicals in lab assays. These are test tube findings; antioxidant effects in people have not been studied.
Clinical trials
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (brief report) of a combination of Eleutherococcus, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and white dead-nettle (Lamium album), taken by mouth three times daily for 2 weeks according to a later review, with follow-up to week 8. (Shapira et al. 2005, J Am Acad Dermatol)
49 patients with atopic dermatitis, treated for 2 weeks and followed until week 8.
The herb blend improved objective and subjective skin measures, and patients kept partial improvement to week 8, but the placebo group improved similarly, with no significant difference between groups. The authors concluded the blend did not differ from placebo. White dead-nettle was one of three herbs, and the abstract gives neither the plant part nor the amount.
In vitro study of methanol, ethyl acetate and heptane extracts of dried white dead-nettle flowers (Lamii albi flos) on cultured human skin fibroblasts, with chromatographic analysis of the extracts. (Paduch et al. 2007, J Ethnopharmacol)
Cultured human skin fibroblasts at two cell densities; no animals or people.
At the higher cell density no extract was toxic over 24 hours. In sparse cultures, methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were toxic above 125 µg/mL, while cells stayed intact at 25 µg/mL. The heptane extract kept viability above 60% and raised mitochondrial activity over time, which the authors linked to possible wound healing. Lab findings only.
In vitro study comparing ethanolic extracts of white dead-nettle flowers and aerial parts on functions of isolated human neutrophils, with bioassay-guided isolation of active compounds. (Czerwińska et al. 2017, Planta Med)
Neutrophils (white blood cells) isolated from human blood; no people were treated.
Both the flower and the aerial part extracts, at 25 and 100 µg/mL, significantly reduced reactive oxygen species production and the release of myeloperoxidase and interleukin 8. Phenylpropanoid glycosides isolated from the aerial parts, such as lamiuside B, also lowered interleukin 8. Cell findings only.
In vitro screening of ethanolic extracts of white dead-nettle flowers and aerial parts by thin-layer chromatography with on-plate bioassays and mass spectrometry. (Baumli et al. 2026, J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci)
Plant extracts tested on chromatography plates; no cells, animals or people.
Both plant parts showed several zones of radical scavenging, of inhibition of alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, lipase and acetylcholinesterase, and of activity against Bacillus subtilis, with the aerial parts generally stronger than the flowers. Tiliroside, fatty acids and tricoumaroyl spermidine were tentatively identified among the active compounds. Screening results only.