Catnip

Description

Catnip is a strong smelling, erect, branching, downy perennial that grows 15-40” in height with oval or heart shaped, toothed leaves, with conical groups of white or blue flower clusters on leafy, branched spikes when in bloom between June and September.

History

Nepetas make up a large group of hardy, herbaceous plants native to parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Himalayas that have since become naturalized in U.S. and Canada as well.

N. cataria is generally regarded by herbalists as the true medicinal Catmint, having a history of being cultivated since ancient times for that purpose. Historically, Pliny is considered one of the first to mention the uses of Catmint, although both the Greeks and Romans cultivated the wild variety for their cats that purportedly were unable to resist its smell. The constituent that is considered responsible for this behavior is nepatalactone. In contrast to cats, rats, roaches, and termites are believed to be repelled by the substance (Le Strange 1977). While it was used to treat everything from female infertility to headaches during the thirteenth century, it is still used by some practitioners to treat pain, flatulence, restlessness, and nervousness (Le Strange 1977).

Current Medicinal Uses

Controversy exists concerning the capacity of catnip to alter the behavior or consciousness of humans (Osterhoudt 1997). Some have suggested it as a mild sedative, while others have alluded to intoxicating and psychedelic effects when smoked, but no clinical trials of catmint were identified.

A case report of an otherwise healthy 19-month-old male was presented with an alteration of mental status following consumption of an unknown quantity of raisins soaking in a commercially marketed catnip tea. The patient suffered from irritability, upset stomach, and signs of lethargy during his stay at the hospital. After passing stool containing the raisins and what appeared to be tea leaves, the patient’s condition improved (Massoco 1995). Catmint oil may be an effective repellent against black flies and mosquitoes as a recent study suggests, conferring protection from both compared to a control group (Spero 2008).

Adverse effects

Catnip appears to be benign, but in high doses may cause sedation in children.

Comments

There is an old saying that discusses the dangers of transplanting the plant in the presence of cats:

“ 'If you set it, the cats will eat it, If you sow it, the cats don't know it.'

It seems to be a fact that cats always destroy plants transplanted unless protected, but they never meddle with the plants raised from seed, being only attracted to it when it is in a withering state, or when the peculiar scent of the plant is excited by being bruised in gathering or transplanting” Maud Grieve, 1931.

References

Grieve, M. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1931).

Osterhoudt, Kevin C., et al. Catnip and the Alteration of Human Consciousness. Vet Human Toxicol. Vol. 39. Issue 6. December 1997. Pp. 373-375.

Le Strange, R. A History of Herbal Plants. Arco Publishing Company, Inc., New York, 1977.

Massoco, CO, et al. Behavioral Effects of Acute and Long-Term Administration of Catnip (Nepeta cataria) in Mice. Vet Human Toxicol. Vol 37. Issue 6. December 1995. Pp.530-533.

Spero NC, Gonzalez YI, Scialdone MA, et al. Repellency of hydrogenated catmint oil formulations to black flies and mosquitoes in the field. Journal of Medical Entomology. 45(6):1080-6, 2008.

Disclaimer 

Information on this website is for educational purposes only. Many herbs historically used for medicine are considered too toxic to use today; some of these herbs have caused deaths. Do not ingest these herbs based on information on this website. We have not provided sufficient information for the safe medicinal use of any of these herbs, nor sufficient information for treatment of poisoning. All recreational use of these herbs is dangerous.