CATNIP

Alternate Names: Catmint, Catnep, Chi Hsueh Tsao (Chinese), Field Balm

Parts Used: Leaves.

Properties: Anodyne, Antibacterial, Antidiarrheal, Antispasmodic, Aromatic, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Mucolytic, Nervine, Refrigerant, Sedative, Stomach Tonic, Tonic.

Internal Uses: Amenorrhea, Anxiety, Bronchitis, Chickenpox, Colds, Diarrhea, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspepsia, Fever, Flatulence, Headache, Hives, Hyperactivity, Hysteria, Indigestion, Insomnia, Measles, Motion Sickness, Restlessness, Stomachache, Teething, Toothache

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

It is a mild antibacterial. Chew the fresh leaves for a headache or toothache. It helps stomachaches by calming the nerves. Use it for stress, nervousness. This is an excellent herb for children and will help calm them during the trials of teething, colic and restlessness. When given for colds and fevers, it helps the person get the rest that they need.

Topical Uses: Allergies, Arthritis, Bloodshot Eyes, Bruises, Colic, Eye Inflammation, Hemorrhoids, Hiccups, Insect Bites, Insect Repellent, Pain, Rheumatism, Sprains, Stress, Teething, Toothache

Topical Applications: Bath herb for stress, colic and teething. Compress or poultice for pain, sprains, bruises and insect bites. Toothache poultice. Hair rinse for scalp irritations. Liniment for arthritis and rheumatism. Eyewash for inflammation, allergies and bloodshot eyes. Enema to cleanse the colon. Salve for hemorrhoids. Leaves have been smoked as a euphoric and to stop hiccoughs. Catnip toys for cats - simply tie some of the dried herb into an old sock. The scent repels rats and many insects.

Culinary uses: Young leaves can be made into pesto and sauces, and added to salads. Leaves are rubbed on meat, before cooking, as a flavoring. Before Chinese tea was popular in the West, Catnip was enjoyed as a common beverage.

Energetics: Pungent, Bitter, Cool, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (carvacrol, citronellal, geraniol, nepetol, nepetelactone, pulegone, thymol), iridoids, tannins.

Contraindications: No toxicity although smoking the herb is mildly hallucinogenic.

Comments: Named after the attraction that cats have for nipping this plant. It seems to affect them as an aphrodisiac and a euphoric. Its smell is similar to the pheromones that cats secrete. The genus name, Nepeta, is from Nepeti, a Roman town where this herb was cultivated. This is a good herb for people who don't like sharing, have a hard time revealing their feelings, and never complain. Early American settlers believed it would make kind people mean, and so the dried roots were fed to hangmen and executioners. It can be grown from seed in the garden, but if transplanted the neighborhood cats will devour it; hence the saying, 'If you set it, cats will eat it. If you sow it, cats won't know it'.

-- Phil in KS (pemccoy@yahoo.com), March 06, 2002