Common Name: Catmint

General Information

Catmint is a strongly aromatic, large, perennial herb growing up to 2 metres tall[]. The stems often become more or less woody and persist[].
The plant is widely used as a medicinal herb, mainly gathered from the wild, and is also cultivated throughout its distribution area both as an ornamental and for the essential oil in its leaves[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea.

Habitat

Sunny and open locations, grasslands, also in teak forests, and on wet soils along streams and irrigated rice fields, usually scattered, sometimes locally numerous, at elevations of 600 - 1800 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects, birds
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants flower throughout the year, when enough water is available[].
Hybridizes in the wild with Anisomeles malabarica[].

Edible Uses

The plant is used for flavouring sago cakes[].
The essential oil is used as a flavouring for sago cakes[].

Medicinal

Catmint is widely used as a medicinal plant in India, Sri Lanka and China, and on a smaller scale in Malaysia[]. The whole plant is used, but especially the leaves and the roots. It is a powerful astringent, carminative, febrifuge and tonic[, ].
Research has shown the presence of several medically active substances in the plant[].
The leaves yield an essential oil which shows antimicrobial activity against Bacillus anthracis, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella stanley, Salmonella newport, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus fumigatus and Anisomeles niger[].
Several diterpenes have been isolated from the whole dried plant that have a cytotoxic action[].

The plant is used in the treatment of rheumatism, colds, fevers, abdominal pain, skin sores, and snake bites[].

A decoction of the leaves is used as an antirheumatic and stomachic, and also to treat uterine infections, kidney gravel, swellings and hypertension[]. The juice of the leaves is given to children for colic, dyspepsia and fever caused by teething[]. Inhaling the vapour of the hot infusion induces copious perspiration[].

The essential oil distilled from the leaves is applied externally as an embrocation in rheumatic arthritis[].

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves[]. It is used as a hair dressing and as a compound in perfumes and cosmetics[].

The plant is burnt as a mosquito repellent[].

Propagation

Seed -

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