Monograph: Catnip

Date: 2021-12-17

NHPID name

Nepeta cataria ( Germplasm Resources Information Network Taxonomy )

Proper name(s)

Nepeta cataria L. (Lamiaceae) ( USDA 2008 )

Common name(s)

• Catmint ( McGuffin et al. 2000 )
• Catnip ( McGuffin et al. 2000 )

Source material

Herb top ( Hoffmann 2003 , BHP 1983 )

Route Of administration

Oral

Dosage form(s)

Those suited to the allowable route(s) of administration. This monograph is not intended to include food-like dosage forms such as bars, chewing gums or beverages.

Use(s) or purpose(s)

Statement(s) to the effect of:

• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve digestive spasms (antispasmodic) and flatulent dyspepsia (carminative).  (Hoffmann 2003, BHP 1983, Felter and Lloyd 1983[1898], Grieve 1971[1931])
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve feverish conditions by inducing sweating (diaphoretic).  (Hoffmann 2003, Felter and Lloyd 1983[1898])
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve nervousness (nervine).  (Hoffmann 2003, Williamson 2003, BHP 1983, Grieve 1971[1931])
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as an astringent to help relieve diarrhoea.  (Hoffmann 2003, Williamson 2003, Moerman 1998, Mills 1985, BHP 1983)

Dose(s)

Adults:

See Appendix 1 for examples of appropriate dosage preparations and frequencies of use, according to cited references. The purpose of Appendix 1 is to provide guidance to industry.

Duration of use

No statement is required

Risk information

Statement(s) to the effect of:

Caution(s) and Warning(s):

• Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist.
• Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms worsen.
• Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are breastfeeding.

Contraindication(s): Do not use if you are pregnant.  (Brinker 2001, McGuffin et al. 1997) Known Adverse Reaction(s): No statement is required

Non-medicinal ingredients

Must be chosen from the current Natural health products ingredients database and must meet the limitations outlined in the database.

Specifications

• The finished product specifications must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the NHPD Quality of natural health products guide.
• The medicinal ingredient must comply with the requirements outlined in the Natural health products ingredient database (NHPID).

References cited

• BHP 1983: British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Cowling (GB): British Herbal Medical Association; 1983.
• Brinker F. 2001. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, 3rd edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications.
• Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King's American Dispensatory, Volume 1, 18th edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications; 1983 [Reprint of 1898 original].
• Grieve M. 1971. A Modern Herbal, Volume 1. New York (NY): Dover Publications [Reprint of 1931 Harcourt, Brace & Company publication].
• Hoffmann D. 2003. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester (VT): Healing Arts Press.
• McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, editors. 1997. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press.
• McGuffin M, Kartesz JT, Leung AY, Tucker AO, editors. 2000. Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition. Austin(TX): American Herbal Products Association.
• Mills S. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalsim. Wellingborough (UK): Thorsons Publishers Ltd; 1985.
• Moerman DE . 1998. Native American Ethnobotany. Portland (OR): Timber Press.
• USDA 2008: ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville (MD). [Accessed 2008-01-21]. Available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl
• Williamson EM. Potter's Herbal Cyclopaedia: The Authoritative Reference work on Plants with a Known Medical Use. Saffron Walden (UK): The C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 2003.

References reviewed

• Williamson EM, Evans FJ, Wren RC. Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. Saffron Walden (GB): C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 1988.
• Wren RC. 1907. Potter's Cyclopedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. London (GB): Potter and Clark.

Appendix 1: Examples of appropriate dosage preparations and frequencies of use

Dried aerial parts:

• 2-4 g, per day (Williamson 2003)
• 1-4 g, 3 times per day (Mills 1985)
• 2-4 g, 3 times per day (BHP 1983)

Infusion:

2-4 g dried aerial parts, 3 times per day (BHP 1983)

Fluidextract:

2-4 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day
(1:1, 25% alcohol, 2-4 ml) (BHP 1983)

Tincture:

• 0.4-1.2 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day
  (1:5, 25% alcohol, 2-6 ml) (Hoffmann 2003)
• 0.6-1.2 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day
  (1:5, 25% alcohol, 3-6 ml) (BHP 1983)