Overview & Benefits

Catnip is a member of the mint family. Taken orally, catnip is most commonly used for anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness. It has a sedative effect.

Catnip helps to relieve colic, cramps, gas, and indigestion as it has a muscle-relaxing effects.

Topically, catnip has often been used reduce swelling associated with arthritis, hemorrhoids, and soft tissue injuries.

How to use:

Catnip can be found as capsules or oral liquid. Brew the dried catnip as a tea. Suggested for making catnip tea is 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried aerial parts soaked for about 10 minutes in 1 cup of water that has been allowed to boil and then taken away from the heat. Boiling catnip may cause the loss of active ingredients. Catnip is usually taken three times a day.

To use topically, dried leaves or flowers of catnip are moistened with warm water to make a poultice, which is applied externally as often as needed. Cooled catnip tea may also be used as a soak or a wash.