Nettle (Urtica dioica), also known as stinging nettle, is a flowering perennial plant which is native to Asia, Europe, North America and the northern part of Africa. According to the BBC, stinging nettle was used for medicinal purposes as long ago as the time of the Roman Empire. Erhlich, in a review of stinging nettle for a University of Maryland Medical Center website, noted that stinging nettle is used to treat anemia, arthritis, eczema, gout and painful joints and muscles. It is also often used to treat enlarged prostate, hay fever, sprains, tendinitis and urinary tract infections.