{"id":3933,"date":"2021-03-19T11:31:58","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T11:31:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=3933"},"modified":"2025-04-09T16:48:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T15:48:34","slug":"catnip","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/catnip\/","title":{"rendered":"Catnip"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":3939,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"7e5baafc-e1e6-49e2-bd59-b85a02266ff7","beyondwords_preview_token":"e5dde80c-dd03-49da-a71c-fb1b66876cdc","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[331],"conditions":[685,696,695],"sustainability":[1576],"sense":[18,17,31],"western_action":[1003,992,993,994,997,1007,1009],"chinese_action":[],"ayurvedic_action":[],"energetics_action":[1499,1498,1382,1487,1490],"region":[1893],"class_list":["post-3933","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-catnip","conditions-digestive-system","conditions-nervous-system","conditions-respiratory-system","sustainability-green-sustainability-status","sense-bitter","sense-aromatic","sense-astringent-taste","western_action-carminatives","western_action-anti-inflammatory","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-antioxidant","western_action-antispasmodic","western_action-diaphoretic","western_action-emmenagogue","energetics_action-astringent","energetics_action-bitter","energetics_action-cool","energetics_action-dry","energetics_action-relaxing","region-western-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20210319","herb_author":null,"banner_text":"Catnip is used in fevers to promote perspiration and lower the temperature","latin_name":"Nepeta cataria<\/em>","pseudonym_name":"","family_name":"Lamiaceae","herb_summary":"A richly aromatic plant, not just for cats. Catnip has a long history of use as medicine for humans.","key_benefits":"Febrifuge (fever remedy)\r\nCarminative\r\nAnti-catarrhal","how_does_it_feel":"Catnip should ideally be harvested when in bud and full flower and dried in a place with good airflow, out of direct sun.\r\n\r\nThe odour of the leaves and stems is almost camphor-like with hints of thyme, sage and mint. It is redolent of other members of the Lamiaceae family such as thyme, sage or pennyroyal. The taste of the fresh plant is aromatic, slightly bitter and astringent.\r\n\r\nWhen dried it has a pleasant fresh, slightly sweet smell, the taste is aromatic and slightly bitter.","hdif_image_1":7901,"hdif_image_2":3943,"hdif_image_3":3940,"hdif_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/KtWv2E8rems","sense":[17,31,18],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"It is very useful to take as a tea when with cold or fever. It induces perspiration and helps cool an overheated body. It is said to have gentle sedative activity and this may be an additional reason for using, as it can help to calm and bring about sleep when with fever. It has a long tradition of use as a child\u2019s remedy for colds, fever and colic.\r\n\r\nCatnip is a great remedy for painful wind and spasms in the digestive tract, helping as it does to dispel and prevent further build-up of gas.","into_the_heart_of":"Catnip has primarily been used as a fever remedy, but also to relax and decongest in coughs and colds. The smooth muscle relaxant properties of the herb have been used to good effect for colicky conditions of the gut and these along with the tannins make it useful in cases of irritable bowel with a tendency to loose stools. It has been used as a poultice for wounds, bruises and haemorrhoids.\r\n\r\nSome of these uses are now evidenced by pharmacological studies on a number of the plant\u2019s secondary metabolites and have shown antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic properties.","tradtional_uses":"\"\"\r\n\r\nCatnip has been used as a remedy for coughs, sore throats, fevers, headaches, pneumonia, diarrhoea, asthma, asthma, toothache, nervousness, colic and topically to help heal wounds.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIt is often taken in the form of a hot infusion to promote sweating and has a long history of use as a fever remedy, especially where there is a chill - bringing warmth and comfort to cold aches and cramps. Taken hot it can also help to relieve nasal congestion.<\/span>\r\n\r\nLike some other members of the Lamiaceae family it is carminative, meaning it prevents the formation of gas in the digestive tract or assists in its release. It relaxes smooth muscle (as in the gut), and relieves the discomfort caused by excessive wind and bloating. It is the volatile oil component of the plant that has this effect. It has been used is asthma and bronchitis and as a nervine to calm.<\/span>\r\n\r\nBefore the arrival of tea from China as a beverage, catnip tea was taken as people\u2019s daily cuppa by many folk in Britain.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDespite its use to calm the <\/span>nervous system<\/span><\/a>, especially when feverish, it was said to be stimulating by some sources and Grieve states in A Modern Herbal that the root when chewed was said to make the most gentle person fierce and quarrelsome (5). The root is not used these days and is likely to contain constituents other than those in the aerial parts.<\/span>","what_practioners_say":"

\"\"<\/strong>Respiratory system<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nCatnip is used to good effect in feverish conditions, inducing perspiration and lowering the temperature. It is also used to ease the symptoms of the common cold, often combined with herbs such as yarrow, elderflower and boneset for this purpose.\r\n

Digestive system<\/h3>\r\nIt is an effective spasmolytic, often given to children for colic. It eases flatulence, and indigestion due to its relaxant properties and can be used to quell diarrhoea due to the gentle tannins within.\r\n

Nervous system<\/h3>\r\nIt has been used in excitability and insomnia, palpitations and \u2018nervous indigestion\u2019 to good effect, for the latter it is great in combination with German chamomile and Lemon balm. It is a good remedy for a restless child with fever, gently calming the nervous system and managing the fever.\r\n

Sensory<\/h3>\r\nTo have a clump growing in a garden or window box adds another dimension to Catnip\u2019s healing properties. With its pleasant aroma and ability to attract bees and other pollinators it provides visual, tactile and olfactory pleasure. Like other members of the mint family such as lemon balm, lavender and rosemary, the foliage and flowers when brushed by or when rubbed between the fingers release pleasant aromas, and can act as a soothing balm for a troubled mind.\r\n

Skin<\/h3>\r\nIt has been used topically in ointments for haemorrhoids and for cuts by crushing and moistening fresh catnip leaves and applying to the wound as a poultice.\r\n\r\nThe essential oils from catnip have been studied in isolation for their effectiveness against bacterial and fungal infection and as an insect repellent to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus infection and yellow fever.","research":"In terms of the medicinal effects of the whole plant, there is much documented in the way of traditional use, however little has been carried out in the way of qualitative research.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe essential oils have been studied in isolation and have been shown to possess antimicrobial effects (6). This activity is being explored within the food industry as potential for natural preservative agents (7) and also against causes of infection, including oral, where good antimicrobial effects have been demonstrated against candida species including C. albicans and certain species of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus (8).<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe polyphenols within Catnip have been assessed for their antioxidant capability and found to demonstrate free radical scavenging effects (4).<\/span>\r\n\r\nMosquito repellent: There is evidence that the nepetalactones within the plant's essential oils are comparable to DEET in repelling the mosquitoes that transmit the Zika and Dengue virus, however the preparation needed to be reapplied after 2 hours (9).<\/span>","did_you_know":"\"\"The plant produces certain compounds (amongst these the nepetalactone volatile oils) in order to deter it from being eaten. It is said to repel some insects such as flea beetles, weevils and cockroaches so could be put to good use planted amongst vegetables. It also deters mice and rats.\r\n\r\nMany aphids also produce nepetalactones, using them as sex pheromones, so Catnip may attract aphid predators such as the Lacewing fly in order to predate on the aphids that are attracted by the plant\u2019s heady aroma.\r\n\r\nMost cats adore it of course but lions, leopards and jaguars are also susceptible to the nepetalactones within Catnip. The smell triggers a variety of behavioural responses that can range from mellowness, head-rubbing, becoming vocal and rolling around upon or eating the herb to outright aggression. This susceptibility is a hereditary trait, with around 70% of cats expressing this behaviour. It wears off after about 10 minutes, the cat becoming temporarily immune to its effects for around 30 minutes.","additional_information_right":{"illustration":7904},"additional_information_left":{"botany":"Catnip is a relative of mint and has the typical 4-sided stems of plants within that family. It shares many characteristics including a love of full sun, well-drained soil and a predilection for spreading. Native to the Middle East, Central Asia, southern and Eastern Europe, it has naturalised in many other places.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIt is a perennial plant with paired, pointed, pale green oval leaves which are serrated with a hairy underside. The small white flowers are tubular, two-lipped and dotted with deep red. These grow in dense little spiked clusters, blooming from summer into autumn.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCatnip can be confused with other members of the genus Nepeta, and there are around 250 species with 20 or so commonly grown as ornamentals. Known collectively as the Catmints, these others are generally neater in appearance with larger lilac or blue flowers and a compact bushy appearance. They lack the full medicinal and cat-narcotic properties of N. cataria, which is more weed-like and unruly in its growing habits (1).<\/span>","common_names":"