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What medicinal herb repels mosquitoes?

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Catnip (Nepeta cataria Linnaeus) is a well-known legal recreational herb for felines. This mint is native to Eurasia. Catnip was grown in ancient Greece and Rome for household cats. The active chemical in catnip is a terpene, nepetalactone.

Catnip infused in hot water was the tea of peasants before Camellia sinensis became popular. In Gerard's Herbal, (1633) catnip tea "...is commended against cold paines of the head, stomacke,
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Tea for two
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and matrix, and those diseases that grow of flegme (nasal congestion?)...a present helpe for them that be bursten inwardly by meanes of some fall received from an high place, and that are very much bruised, if...given with wine or mede."

Mrs. Grieve in the Modern Herbal (1931) stated "Catnep Tea is a valuable drink in every case of fever...inducing sleep and producing perspiration without increasing the heat of the system. It is good in restlessness, colic, insanity and nervousness, and is used as a mild nervine (tranquilizer?) for children." A conserve made from the inflorescences of catnip "...have been found serviceable for nightmare."

Grieve recommended, "The head washed with a decoction takes away scabs, scurf (dandruff)." Gerard believed, "It is used in baths...for women...to make them fruitfull."

As much as cats are fond of this mint, Grieve remarks, "Rats dislike the plant particularly, and will not approach it even when driven by hunger. This dislike...might well be utilized by growing round other valuable crops...." Although studies of rat-repellant properties have not been conclusive, Iowa State University researchers have shown nepetalactone more effective than DEET against mosquitoes.

The School of Chemistry, University of Bristol has a great page on nepetalactone, the active ingredient that cats love so much. To view the page, click on the link:

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ethylacetate/catnip.htm

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