Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Garden-mint family herb used in traditional Western herbalism for mild restlessness, sleep, and digestive complaints, no modern RCT base.
Why
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is best known for its effect on cats (nepetalactone-mediated). In human traditional use, it has been employed as a mild sedative infusion for restlessness, sleep, and digestive complaints. No modern peer-reviewed RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect; inclusion is for honest reference.
How it works
Nepetalactone is the dominant essential oil component. Mild sedative effect in animal models is documented; human-specific mechanism not clinically characterised.
Expected onset · Acute calming within hours; sustained-use effects not characterised
How to take
Dosage
Dried herb: 1–2 g as infusion, twice or three times daily.
Timing
Evening for sleep; otherwise as needed
On the label
Nepeta cataria, dried aerial parts or tincture. Garden-grown catnip varies in essential oil content.
Ideal for
Adults exploring traditional herbal options for mild restlessness or sleep, with awareness that modern evidence does not yet support specific therapeutic claims.
Safety
Evidence
No regulator anchor. Traditional-use registration only, no Cochrane review, no Well-Established Use monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, and no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion here reflects the documented tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited. Traditional use predominantly in North American and European folk herbalism.
Traditional-use registration only, no Cochrane review, no Well-Established Use monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, and no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion here reflects the documented tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited.
Where to get it
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