Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) has a long-standing history of traditional use as a mild sedative and calming agent, particularly in European and North American herbalism. Folk medicine practitioners have used catnip teas and infusions to help ease nervousness, restlessness, and mild anxiety, especially in children and the elderly. The calming effects are thought to be due to compounds such as nepetalactone, which is more famously known for its effect on cats but is also believed to have mild sedative properties in humans.

Despite its traditional use, scientific validation for catnip’s effectiveness in treating nervousness in humans is limited. There are few modern clinical studies investigating catnip’s sedative or anxiolytic effects in people. Most available evidence comes from anecdotal reports or older herbal texts rather than controlled trials. Some animal studies suggest that nepetalactone and related compounds may interact with GABAergic systems, which are involved in regulating anxiety and sedation, but these findings do not directly translate into clinical recommendations for human use.

In summary, while catnip is commonly used in traditional herbal medicine to support nervousness and mild anxiety, robust scientific evidence is lacking, and its use for this purpose should be considered primarily traditional rather than evidence-based.

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