What are the functions of Nepeta? Is it effective?

Schizonepeta is a natural food. In ancient times, Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs and discovered that many foods in nature can be used to treat diseases. People first discovered that Schizonepeta could be used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat colds. Later, clinical trials proved that it also has the effects of relieving phlegm, cooling blood, and stopping bleeding.

What is Nepeta?

Schizonepeta, originally called "false Su" and locally known as "ginger mustard", is a plant of the Lamiaceae family. It is an annual herb 60 to 90 cm tall. The stem is erect, quadrangular, with a slightly purple base and many branches on the upper part. The whole plant is covered with short soft hairs. The leaves are opposite and deeply pinnate. There are 5 leaf lobes at the base of the stem; the leaf lobes in the middle and upper parts are 3-5 linear or lanceolate, 1.5-2 cm long and 2-4 mm wide, and the entire margin is covered with soft hairs on both sides: the lower face has sunken glandular dots, spike-shaped cymes, mostly densely distributed at the branch ends, 3-8 cm long; bracts are leaf-like, linear, long and chaotic, 0.4-1.7 cm, green and sessile; calyx is bell-shaped, about 3 mm long, with 5 hairs at a distance from the longitudinal veins and 5 teeth at the tip; corolla is light purple and has 2 lips, about 4 mm long, the upper lip is 2-lobed, the lower lip is larger and 3-lobed; stamens are 42-strong; ovary is 4-lobed, and the style is basal and the stigma is 2-lobed. Nutlets 4 ovate or elliptic, ca. 1 mm, brown. Flowering period is from June to August. Fruiting period is from July to September.

Its dried stems, leaves and flower spikes can be used as medicine. Fresh and tender buds are best for calming children. The leaves of Schizonepeta are yellow-green, the stems are square with a slight purple hue, the cross section is yellow-white, and the spikes are slightly dark purple-yellow-green. It has a mild taste, warm nature, is non-toxic, and has a strong fragrance.

The main effects and functions of Nepeta

Nepeta helps to induce sweating

Help patients with fever reduce fever as soon as possible. Take a dose of decoction of Schizonepeta before going to bed. You will sweat for a while and feel much lighter after sleeping.

Expectorant, expectorant

Schizonepeta has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, if you have symptoms of cough and sputum, drinking a decoction of Schizonepeta and alum can effectively eliminate phlegm and relieve cough symptoms.

Wind-fearing, cooling blood

Schizonepeta is slightly warm but not strong, and has a mild medicinal property, which can effectively eliminate the symptoms of wind-cold. For women, the hemostatic effect of Schizonepeta can effectively relieve postpartum blood loss.

In addition, Schizonepeta has a pungent and dispersing effect and is often used together with mint to treat measles that is not clearing up smoothly.

How to use Nepeta

Schizonepeta can generally be used in decoctions.

Dosage of Nepeta

The dosage of Nepeta is generally between 3 and 9 grams.