Catnip is the colloquial name for catnip, a medicinal herb of the labiate family with a pronounced lemon aroma. The plant got this name because, like valerian, it attracts cats.
Catnip - pharmacological properties
Catnip (lat. Nepeta cataria) is a widespread plant in the Northern Hemisphere that has many pharmacological properties, and is also used in cooking and landscape design.
Unique in its properties, catnip is extremely rich in beneficial trace elements. It contains essential oil, with a specific lemon scent, tannins, saponins, glycosides, ascorbic acid. The catnip has antibacterial, calming, tonic and expectorant effects. A decoction of catnip increases appetite, regulates digestion, and increases the amplitude of contractions of the heart muscle. It is indicated for gastritis with low acidity and dysbiosis, is an effective anthelmintic. In folk medicine and herbal medicine, catnip is also used externally - to treat itching, scabies, acne, furunculosis and weeping eczema. The decoction can be used to rinse the hair to strengthen it.
Finally, both fresh and dried leaves are good for flavoring teas and herbal teas. It is advisable to consume drinks containing catnip before bed, as this plant has a powerful sedative effect. If you regularly brew catnip for the night, you will soon forget about insomnia.
Other areas of application
Catnip essential oil is added to the dough to give baked goods a unique aroma, and dried leaves, along with lemon balm, are used as a seasoning. It should be noted that, unlike lemon balm, catnip retains a pronounced aroma after drying. It is put in main courses, pickles, marinades, sweet and sour sauces and sweets.
Catnip oil is actively used in the perfumery industry, as a rule, as a perfume for soaps, colognes and toothpastes. The catnip is highly appreciated by beekeepers. This plant is a valuable honey plant that attracts bees, so it is actively planted in areas near apiaries. The collection of honey can reach 417 kg / ha. Honey turns out to be amber or creamy, extremely aromatic and pleasant to the taste, fine-grained in texture.
The unpretentious and weedy catnip is highly valued by gardeners and landscape designers. Catnip can turn lawns and alpine slides into lilac carpets, and tall varieties can be used to make living curbs. An added bonus is the fact that the catnip attracts a huge number of butterflies.