| Nepeta cataria | |
|---|---|
| Catnip | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Nepeta |
| Species: | N. cataria |
| Binomial name | |
| Nepeta cataria Lamiaceae[1] |
|
Nepeta cataria (also known as catnip, catswort, or catmint) is a plant in the Lamiaceae family. The common names can also be used to refer to the Nepeta genus as a whole.
Contents |
Variants include N. cataria var. citriodora (also called subsp. citriodora), lemon catnip.
The plant terpenoid nepetalactone is the main chemical constituent of the essential oil of Nepeta cataria. Nepetalactone can be extracted from catnip by steam distillation. [2]
Catnip has a history of human medicinal use for its soothing properties. It has also been known to have a slightly numbing effect. The plant has been consumed as a tea, juice, tincture, infusion or poultice, and has also been smoked. [3]
Nepeta cataria (and catmints) are mostly known for the behavioral effects they have on cats, not only domestic cats but also big cats.[4] N. cataria is used as a recreational substance for pet cats' enjoyment, and catnip and laced-catnip products designed for use with domesticated cats are available to consumers. Not all cats are affected by catnip.[4] The common behaviors when cats sense the bruised leaves or stems of catnip are rubbing on the plant, rolling on the ground, pawing at it, licking it, chewing it consuming much of the plant followed by drooling, sleepiness, anxiety, leaping about and purring. Some will growl, meow, scratch, or bite the hand holding it. Some cats will eat dried catnip. Often, eating too much can cause cats to be overtly aggressive, typically making them hiss.
Nepetalactone acts as a feline attractant. Roughly half to two thirds of cats will be affected by the plant. [5][6] This chemical enters the feline's nose. [7] Cats detect it through their olfactory epithelium, not through their vomeronasal organ. [8] At the olfactory epithelium, the nepetalactone binds to one or more olfactory receptors. Some have speculated that it may mimic a cat pheromone, such as the hypothetical feline facial pheromone or the cat urine odorant MMB. However, this has not been tested. Approximately two hours after an exposure, the feline will be sensitive to another dose. The phenomenon is hereditary; for example, most Australian cats do not react to it.[9] There is some disagreement about the susceptibility of lions and tigers to catnip.[9]
Other plants that also have this effect on cats include valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and plants that contain actinidine or dihydroactinidiolide (Smith, 2005).
Nepetalactone is a mosquito and fly repellent. [10] [11] Oil isolated from catnip by steam distillation is a repellent against insects, in particular mosquitoes, cockroaches and termites.[12][13] Research suggests that in a test tube, distilled nepetalactone, the active ingredient in catnip, repels mosquitoes ten times more effectively than DEET, the active ingredient in most insect repellents,[10][14] but that it is not as effective a repellent when used on the skin. [15]