Nepeta cataria

Best know for its use with cats, most people don't even realize that catnip is a great go-to for a wide variety of ailments in humans! In fact, because of its history as a "cat treat" it might be one of the most undervalued herbal resources. 

The most important health benefits of catnip include its ability to calm restless sleep, relieve anxiety and stress, soothe menstrual pain, eliminate eating disorders, and ease stomach discomfort. It also helps speed up the recovery from colds and fevers, detoxify the body, reduce inflammation throughout the body, and even speed wound healing.

You can smoke it, juice it, drink an infusion,  tincture it, use it as a poultice... you can even put it in the bath for fever and body aches. Do I sound like Bubba on Forrest Gump yet? Catnip can also be added into cooking to aid in digestion. It is also anti-fungal and a bactericide for Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of food poisoning. It has mild anesthetic properties (try it by chewing a leaf, it will feel mildly numb) and has been used for tooth pain.

Catnip has been used in traditional herbal medicine for centuries and was first mentioned in De Vivibus Herbarum in the 11th century. The use of catnip leaves and flowers in herbal teas was documented at least as early as 1735 in the General Irish Herbal.

If you need to know the science behind the feline attraction to catnip, here's the lowdown: 🐱😻

Most species of the cat family (Felidae) are attracted to catnip. The cats roll in the catnip, rub their face, and eventually eat it.The oil from catnip leaves contains a chemical called trans-neptalactone, which closely resembles a substance present in a female cat's urine. 😳😧

Kittens do not like catnip until they are about 3 months old. The sensitivity is inherited: A kitten with only one catnip-sensitive parent has a one-in-two chance of inheriting the catnip sensitivity, and a kitten whose parents both exhibit sensitivity has a three-in-four chance. There is no correlation between catnip sensitivity and sex, colour, or breed.

So go plant some catnip for you feline friends and keep it on hand to utilize for your family!