Researchers found sweet gem lettuce to be as effective as dock leaves in reducing discomfort from nettle stings, suggesting a placebo effect in both cases.
The burning sensation from stinging nettles is caused by microscopic needles releasing chemicals like histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin upon contact.
The traditional remedy of using dock leaves for nettle stings dates back at least 600 years, with various theories on why it works but researchers suggesting it's the cooling sensation of plant sap.
The perceived healing effect of dock leaves or lettuce on nettle stings may simply be due to the cooling sensation of the plant sap drying on the skin, according to researchers.
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