Description
Botanical: Nepeta cataria
Other common names: Catmint, Field Balm, Catswort, Catnep, Catstrup
Stressed-out, anxious, tense and sleepless people have often tried Catnip as a mild sedative that helps them to relax. It is an old and highly-nutritional remedy for the digestive system that is said to calm an upset stomach, reduce gas and act as an overall herbal pain reliever to ease tension headaches and cramps. Catnip is a nervous system "calmative" and great muscle relaxer. Your cat will love you, too, if you give it a Catnip-stuffed toy.
Country of Origin: United States
Beneficial Uses:
Catnip is an old and reliable support for the digestive system. As a digestive aid, the herb is said to promote gastric juices that stimulate the digestive process and the movement of food and infection out of the digestive tract. It is also said to pep up the appetite, ease dyspepsia, expel gas, calm an upset stomach, ease nervous indigestion and colic and alleviate an acid stomach.
As a calmative and nervine, Catnip is used to calm the nervous system. It is believed to relax tight muscles, generally inducing relaxation and relieving stress, nervous anxiety, excitability, heart palpitations, hysteria (and was even used in the past in cases of insanity). It is also thought to reduce nervous hives.
Catnip is said to be an effective sedative that is helpful for insomnia. It has been reported to induce sleep in humans and a general state of calm without producing after-effects the following day.
As a diaphoretic, Catnip is thought to be effective in treating feverish illnesses. The herb promotes perspiration, which helps to lower fever and rid the body of toxins through the skin. It is particularly useful when treating colds and flu.
Catnip is believed to be an antispasmodic that will help to relieve chronic coughing and alleviate abdominal and menstrual cramping.
As a mild anodyne, Catnip is thought to relieve overall pain, including headaches (particularly associated with nerves).
Used externally as a topical pain reliever, Catnip's pain-relieving properties have been useful for easing the discomforts of toothache, teething, sprains, bruises and insect stings and bites. It has been included in liniments for arthritis and rheumatic conditions.
Catnip is believed to have astringent and antibiotic properties that are useful in treating bronchial infection and diarrhea. It is thought to be helpful in reducing the eruption of measles and chickenpox. Laboratory experiments have reported the destruction of some microbes.
Contraindications:
Currently, there are no known warnings or contraindications with the use of Catnip Herbal Supplement.
