Catmint, .Nepeta

Nepetalactone (Fig. 11.5c), a monoterpene lactone (or iridoid) from the volatile oil of catmint, Nepeta cataria, excites domestic cats and other felids (Todd, 1962 Palen and Goddard, 1966 Hill etal, 1976). 

Occurrence I. was first isolated from the Australian ant Iridomyrmex detectus and the hunting beetle Sta-phylinus olens, Coleoptera Staphylinidae). It was later also found in the essential oil of a not exactly defined Australian species of Myoporum. Nepetalac-tone occurs in the essential oil (51%) of the genuine catmint Nepeta cataria, Lamiaceae) and is an attrac-tant for cats. 

Mutlu, S., 0. Atici, N. Esim, and E. Mete, 2010. Essential oils of catmint (Nepeta meyeri Benth.) induce oxidative stress in early seedlings of various weed species. ActaPl sioL J, 33 943-951. 

Umney and Bennett have examined the oil distilled in Sicily from the catmint, Nepeta Gataria. It has the following characters —... 

Webb CE and Russell RC. Is the extract from the plant catmint (Nepeta cataria) repellent to mosquitoes in Australia Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 23, 351-354, 2007. 

Easy to root Among the most successful plants for beginners to try are fuohslas, pelargoniums (below), and nepeta (catmint). 

Nepetalactone as main oil component from catmint species Nepeta sp.) occius in three isomers (4aa,7a,7aa 4aa,7a,7ap 4aa,7p,7aa) and is a powerful attractant and stimulant for cats. It is produced from iridodial. 

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