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Catnip

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeCatnip (disambiguation).

Catnip
Catnip flowers
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Nepeta
Species:
N. cataria
Binomial name
Nepeta cataria

Nepeta cataria,commonly known ascatnip,catswort,catwort,andcatmint,is aspeciesof thegenusNepetain thefamilyLamiaceae,nativeto southern and easternEurope,theMiddle East,Central Asia,parts ofMongolia,and parts ofChina.It is widelynaturalizedin northern Europe,New Zealand,andNorth America.[1][2][3][4][5]The common namecatmintcan also refer to the genus as a whole.

The namescatnipandcatmintare derived from the intense attraction about two-thirds ofcatshave toward the plant (alternatives exist, such asvalerian rootand leaves).[6][7]Catnip is also an ingredient in someherbal teas(or tisanes), and is valued for itssedativeandrelaxantproperties.[8]

Description

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Nepeta catariais a short-livedperennial,herbaceous plantthat grows to be 50–100 cm (20–40 in) tall and wide, and that blooms from late spring to autumn. In appearance,N. catariaresembles a typical member of themintfamily of plants, featuring brown-green foliage with the characteristic square stem of the plant family Lamiaceae.[9]The coarse-toothed leaves are triangular to elliptical in shape.[10]The small, bilabiateflowersofN. catariaare fragrant and are either pink in colour or white with fine spots of pale purple.[10]

Taxonomy

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Nepeta catariawas one of the many speciesdescribedbyLinnaeusin 1753 in his landmark workSpecies Plantarum.[11]He had previously described it in 1738 asNepeta floribus interrupte spicatis pedunculatis(meaning 'Nepetawith flowers in a stalked, interrupted spike'), before the commencement ofLinnaean taxonomy.[12]

Uses

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The plantterpenoidnepetalactoneis the main chemical constituent of the essential oil ofNepeta cataria.Nepetalactone can be extracted from catnip bysteam distillation.[13]

Cultivation

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Nepeta catariais cultivated as anornamental plantfor use in gardens. It is also grown for its attractant qualities tohouse catsandbutterflies.[10]

The plant isdrought-tolerantanddeer-resistant. It can be a repellent for certain insects, includingaphidsandsquash bugs.[10]Catnip is best grown in full sunlight and grows as a loosely branching, low perennial.[14]

Varieties includeNepeta catariavar.citriodora(orN. catariasubsp.citriodora), or "lemon catnip",[15]named after its lemon-scented leaves.[16]

Biological control

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Theiridoidthat is deposited on cats who have rubbed themselves against the plants and scratched the surfaces of catnip andsilver vine(Actinidia polygama) leaves repels mosquitoes.[17]The compoundiridodial,an iridoid extracted from catnip oil, has been found to attractlacewingsthat eat aphids and mites.[18]

As an insect repellent

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Nepetalactone is a mosquito andfly repellent.[19][20]Oil isolated from catnip by steam distillation is a repellent against insects, in particular mosquitoes, cockroaches, and termites.[21][22]Research suggests that, while a more effective spatial repellant thanDEET,[23]it is not as effective of a repellent when used on the skin of humans asSS220or DEET.[24]

Effect of ingestion on humans

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Catnip has a history of use in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments such as stomach cramps, indigestion, fevers, hives, and nervous conditions.[25]The plant has been consumed as atisane,juice,tincture,infusion, or poultice, and has also been smoked.[25]However, its medicinal use has fallen out of favor with the development of modern medicine.[25]

Effect on felines

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See also:Cat pheromone § Cat attractants
Effects of catnip on most domestic cats include rolling, pawing, and frisking. For cats not biologically affected by catnip, other plants that may trigger a response includevalerianroot and leaves,silver vine,andTatarian honeysucklewood.

Catnip contains the feline attractantnepetalactone.N. cataria(and some other species within the genusNepeta) are known for theirbehavioral effectson the cat family, not only ondomestic cats,but also other species.[25]Several tests showed thatleopards,cougars,servals,andlynxesoften reacted strongly to catnip in a manner similar to domestic cats.Lionsandtigersmay react strongly as well, but they do not react consistently in the same fashion.[26][27][28][29]

With domestic cats,N. catariais used as a recreational substance for the enjoyment of pet cats, and catnip and catnip-laced products designed for use with domesticated cats are available to consumers. Common behaviors cats display when they sense the bruised leaves or stems of catnip are rubbing on the plant, rolling on the ground, pawing at it, licking it, and chewing it. Consuming much of the plant is followed by drooling, sleepiness, anxiety, leaping about, andpurring.[30]Some growl,meow,scratch, or bite at the hand holding it.[31][32]The main response period after exposure is generally between 5 and 15 minutes, after whicholfactory fatigueusually sets in.[33]: p.107 However, about one-third of cats are not affected by catnip.[6][7][25][34]The behavior ishereditary.[35]

Cats detect nepetalactone through theirolfactory epithelium,not through theirvomeronasal organ.[36]At the olfactory epithelium, the nepetalactone binds to one or moreolfactory receptors.

A 1962pedigreeanalysis of 26 cats in a Siamese breeding colony suggested that the catnip response was caused by a Mendelian-dominantgene. A 2011 pedigree analysis of 210 cats in two breeding colonies (taking into accountmeasurement errorby repeated testing) showed no evidence forMendelian patterns of inheritancebut demonstratedheritabilitiesofh2= 0.51–0.89for catnip response behavior, indicating apolygenicliability threshold model.[25][37][38]

A study published in January 2021 suggests that felines are specifically attracted to theiridoidsnepetalactone andnepetalactol,present in catnip andsilver vine,respectively.[39]

Cats younger than six months might not exhibit behavioral change to catnip.[40]Up to a third of cats are genetically immune to catnip effects but may respond to and enjoy catnip alternatives such asvalerian(Valeriana officinalis) root and leaves; silver vine or matatabi (Actinidia polygama), popular in Asia; and Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) wood.[6][7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Nepeta cataria".Germplasm Resources Information Network.Agricultural Research Service,United States Department of Agriculture.Retrieved7 April2008.
  2. ^World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
  3. ^Flora of China Vol. 17 p. 107 kinh giới chúc jing jie shuNepetaLinnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 570. 1753.
  4. ^Altervista Flora Italiana, genereNepetaincludes photos plus range maps for Europe and North America
  5. ^Wilson, Julia."Catnip (Nepeta cataria) – Everything You Need to Know About Catnip!".Cat-World.com.au.Archived fromthe originalon 6 February 2015.Retrieved6 October2015.
  6. ^abcBol, Sebastiaan (16 March 2017)."Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria) ".BMC Veterinary Research.13(1): 70.doi:10.1186/s12917-017-0987-6.PMC5356310.PMID28302120.
  7. ^abc"Catnip (Nepeta cataria) – Everything You Need to Know About Catnip!".Cat-World.com.au.Cat World. 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 6 February 2015.Retrieved2 January2015.
  8. ^Grognet, Jeff (1990)."Catnip: Its uses and effects, past and present".The Canadian Veterinary Journal.31(6): 455–456.PMC1480656.PMID17423611.
  9. ^"UW-Stevens Point Freckmann Herbarium: Family Genera".Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2013.Retrieved11 August2013.
  10. ^abcdMissouri Botanical Garden:Nepeta cataria(Catmint).Retrieved 1 October 2013
  11. ^Linnaeus, Carl(1753)."Tomus II".Species Plantarum(in Latin). Vol. 2. Stockholm: Laurentii Salvii. p. 570.
  12. ^Spencer, Roger; Cross, Rob; Lumley, Peter (2007)."Latin names, the binomial system and plant classification".Plant Names: a Guide to Botanical Nomenclature(3rd ed.).CSIRO Publishing.pp. 14–15.ISBN9780643099456.
  13. ^"DIY Kitty Crack: ultra-potent catnip extract".Instructables.3 June 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 12 July 2007.Retrieved14 February2009.
  14. ^"Growing Catnip – Bonnie Plants".Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2012.Retrieved27 August2016.
  15. ^Keville, Kathi (2016).The Aromatherapy Garden: Growing Fragrant Plants for Happiness and Well-Being(illustrated ed.). Timber Press. p. 133.ISBN9781604695496.
  16. ^"Nepeta cataria var. citriodora | lemon catmint Herbaceous Perennial".RHS Gardening.
  17. ^Uenoyama, Reiko; Miyazaki, Tamako; Adachi, Masaatsu; Nishikawa, Toshio; Hurst, Jane L.; Miyazaki, Masao (14 June 2022)."Domestic cat damage to plant leaves containing iridoids enhances chemical repellency to pests".iScience.25(7).Bibcode:2022iSci...25j4455U.doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.104455.PMC9308154.PMID35880027.
  18. ^Bliss, Rosalie Marion (May–June 2007)."A Natural Insect Attractant from Catnip".Agricultural Research.55(5).US Government Printing Office:7.ISSN0002-161X– via EBSCO.
  19. ^Kingsley, Danny (3 September 2001)."Catnip sends mozzies flying".ABC Science Online.Retrieved14 February2009.
  20. ^Junwei J. Zhu, Christopher A. Dunlap, Robert W. Behle, Dennis R. Berkebile, Brian Wienhold. (2010). Repellency of a wax-based catnip-oil formulation against stable flies.Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,58(23): 12320–12326 (8 Nov 2010,doi:10.1021/jf102811k).
  21. ^Schultz, Gretchen; Peterson, Chris; Coats, Joel (2006)."Natural Insect Repellents: Activity against Mosquitoes and Cockroaches"(PDF).In Rimando, Agnes M.; Duke, Stephen O. (eds.).Natural Products for Pest Management.ACS Symposium Series.American Chemical Society.
  22. ^"Termites Repelled by Catnip Oil".Southern Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture – Forest Service. 26 March 2003.
  23. ^"Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEE".ScienceDaily.com.Retrieved16 July2016.
  24. ^Chauhan, K. R.; Klun, Jerome A.; Debboun, Mustapha; Kramer, Matthew (2005)."Feeding Deterrent Effects of Catnip Oil Components Compared with Two Synthetic Amides Against Aedes aegypti".Journal of Medical Entomology.42(4): 643–646.doi:10.1603/0022-2585(2005)042[0643:FDEOCO]2.0.CO;2.PMID16119554.S2CID13711455.Archived fromthe originalon 29 March 2021.Retrieved29 December2018.
  25. ^abcdefGrognet, J. (June 1990)."Catnip: Its uses and effects, past and present".The Canadian Veterinary Journal.31(6): 455–456.PMC1480656.PMID17423611.
  26. ^Reader's Digest:Does Catnip "Work" On Big Cats Like Lions And Tigers?Accessed 22 May 2015 Archived:https://web.archive.org/web/20130118224630/http://www.readersdigest.ca/pets/fun-facts/does-catnip-work-big-cats-lions-and-tigers/
  27. ^Poole, Chris (2 August 2010).Q: Do Tigers Like Catnip?.Big Cat Rescue.Archivedfrom the original on 3 November 2021.Retrieved2 January2015– via YouTube.
  28. ^Poole, Chris (19 March 2013).Q: Do Tigers Like Catnip? Part 2.Big Cat Rescue.Archivedfrom the original on 3 November 2021.Retrieved22 March2015– via YouTube.
  29. ^Durand, Marcella (4 March 2003)."Heavenly Catnip".CatsPlay.com.Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2013.Retrieved2 January2015.
  30. ^"Catnip Overdose or Something More Serious? - TheCatSpace".27 February 2023.Retrieved15 July2023.
  31. ^Becker, Marty; Spadafori, Gina (2006).Why Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet? 101 of the Most Perplexing Questions Answered About Feline Unfathomables, Medical Mysteries and Befuddling Behaviors.Deerfield Beach, Florida: Health Communications.ISBN0757305733.
  32. ^Spadafori, Gina (2006)."Here, Boy!".Universal Press Syndicate.Retrieved3 May2014.
  33. ^Moore, Arden (2007).The Cat Behavior Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask.Storey.ISBN9781603421799.Retrieved18 July2013.
  34. ^Turner, Ramona (29 May 2007)."How does catnip work its magic on cats?".Scientific American.Retrieved14 February2009.
  35. ^Stromberg, Joseph (12 September 2014)."How catnip gets your cat high".Vox.Retrieved15 February2021.
  36. ^Hart, Benjamin L.; Leedy, Mitzi G. (July 1985). "Analysis of the catnip reaction: mediation by olfactory system, not vomeronasal organ".Behavioral and Neural Biology.44(1): 38–46.doi:10.1016/S0163-1047(85)91151-3.PMID3834921.
  37. ^Todd 1962,"Inheritance of the catnip response in domestic cats"
  38. ^Villani 2011,"Heritability and Characteristics of Catnip Response in Two Domestic Cat Populations"
  39. ^Moutinho, Sofia (20 January 2021)."Why cats are crazy for catnip".Science.Retrieved28 January2021.
  40. ^"Crazy for catnip".HumaneSociety.org.Humane Society of the United States.Retrieved11 October2023.

Further reading

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  • Khan, M. A.;Cameron, Mary M.;Loza-Reyes, E. (May 2012). "Interference in foraging behaviour of European and American house dust mitesDermatophagoides pteronyssinusandDermatophagoides farinae(Acari: Pyroglyphidae) by catmint,Nepeta cataria(Lamiaceae) ".Experimental and Applied Acarology.57(1): 65–74.doi:10.1007/s10493-012-9532-2.PMID22382713.S2CID17494631.
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