Catnip

Nepeta cataria

Other Names: Cataire, Catmint, Catnep, Catswort, Chataire, Field Balm, Herbe à Chat, Herbe aux Chats, Hierba Gatera, Menta de Gato, Menthe des Chats, Nepeta cataria.
Catnip is a plant. The flowering tops are used to make medicine.
See also : Smooth Catmint

Special Precautions of Catnip

• It is UNSAFE when smoked, when taken by mouth in high doses (cups of catnip tea, for example), or when used in children.
• For people suffering from liver or kidney disorders, the use of catnip may be risky, particularly if you are regularly consuming the tea.
• It can cause headaches, vomiting, and a feeling of being ill.
• Not enough is known about the safety of applying catnip directly to the skin.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to use take catnip during pregnancy. There is some evidence that catnip can stimulate the uterus, and this might cause a miscarriage.
• Not enough is known about the safety of using catnip during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side, and don’t use.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): Women with PID should avoid using catnip because it can start menstruation.
• Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia ): Because catnip can cause menstruation, it might make heavy menstrual periods worse.
• Surgery: Catnip seems to be able to slow down the central nervous system (CNS), causing sleepiness and other effects. Anesthesia and some other drugs used during and after surgery also slow down the CNS. There is a concern that using catnip along with these drugs might slow down the CNS too much. Stop using catnip at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.
• Lithium interacts with Catnip
• Sedative medications (CNS depressants) interacts with Catnip.

The benefits of Catnip are

Nepeta species are used as antispasmodic, diuretic, febrifuge, diaphoretic, antimicrobial and antiseptic agents and also in the treatment of dysentery, tooth trouble and kidney and liver diseases. Diverse biological activities viz. feline attractant, canine attractant, insect repellant and arthropod defense are accredited to the presence of biologically active iridoids/monoterpene nepetalactones in Nepeta species

• The active constituent in catnip nepetalactone, has been found to be more effective than the insect repellent diethyl-meta-toluamide
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) : Catnip has been used by people with insomnia or sleep restlessness for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The sedative nature helps to slow down the body’s natural cycles and induce a calm, relaxed state. People are better able to sleep through the night for undisturbed, restful sleep. Many people choose to drink a cup of catnip tea before bed to ensure a refreshing sleep.
• Stress : The same quality that makes catnip so attractive to cats, namely because it makes them slightly “high” and sedates them, can also apply to humans in a more controlled way. Catnip can provide stress relief and reduce chronic anxiety as an herbal remedy when eaten, consumed in the form of a juice or tea, or when smoked as an herb. This can also help to reduce the secondary symptoms of chronic stress and strengthen your immune system.
• Migraine headaches : Although the exact mechanism isn’t completely understood, catnip has proven to be very effective in the treatment of headaches, even chronic migraines. Rubbing the essential oil on the affected area can work, but drinking catnip tea or rubbing a catnip leaf salve on the temples can also offer quick relief.
• Colds.
• Flu.
• Fever.
• Hives.
• Stomach upset or gastrointestinal (GI) upset, including indigestion, colic, cramping, and gas (flatulence) : Catnip is particularly effective in clearing up digestive issues, especially constipation, excess flatulence, cramping, and bloating. The relaxing, anti-inflammatory effects of catnip’s organic compounds can ease the knots and inflammation in your gastrointestinal system and relieve tightness and discomfort.
• Gas.
• Anxiety.
• Menstrual Cramps: For women suffering from particularly painful menstrual cramps, catnip tea is often recommended as an alternative treatment, because it can quickly relieve those cramps and stresses on the body. Furthermore, the sedative, calming effects of catnip can also soothe other symptoms of menstruation, such as mood swings and depression.
• Increasing urination.
• Treatment of worms.
• Starting menstruation in girls.
• Hemorrhoids : apply catnip directly to the skin.
• Catnip is used as a pesticide and insecticide.
• Speeds the Healing Process: In terms of colds and flus, one of the fastest ways to clean out the body is to induce sweating and get the toxins flushed from the system. This is particularly true in the case of fevers, when the lack of sweating before the fever breaks is only keeping those toxins and pathogens in the body. Catnip induces sweating, so is often recommended by alternative practitioners for treating the common cold.
• Anti-Inflammatory Activity: As mentioned above, the chemical constituents of catnip are particularly effective as anti-inflammatory agents. This means that catnip can be effective in the treatment of arthritis, gout, sprained muscles, aching joints, and even hemorrhoids. Topical application or normal consumption of leaves, juice, or tea can be effective for all of these situations.
• Arthritis : apply catnip directly to the skin.
• Skin Conditions: The natural repellent quality of catnip makes it ideal for keeping bugs away from gardens when kept as an ornamental plant, but the organic compounds in the plant make it ideal for soothing bug bites and relieving irritation on the skin. Applying salves or extracts to irritated or broken skin can speed the healing process and reduce inflammation quickly.
• Complete Nutrient: Although eating catnip leaves is the least common form of consumption for human beings, catnip actually has a rather impressive collection of nutrients, from beneficial chemicals and unique organic compounds to essential acids, minerals, and vitamins that our bodies need. In other words, the plant can do a lot more than knock out a cat!