Plant Comparison
Centaury vs Catnip
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Centaury and Catnip: they share 5 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, bloating, indigestion, …); 2 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Centaury | Catnip | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Bloating | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Indigestion | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Inflammation (general) | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
The intensely bitter principles that stimulate digestive secretions.
The characteristic volatile iridoid responsible for the cat-attractant effect and studied for sedative, antimicrobial and insect-repellent activity.
Rich in nepetalactone isomers along with other monoterpenes; studied for antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
Pharmacological Actions
Digestive aid for mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating (stimulates gastric and bile secretion) - a comprehensive review also documents gastroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity
Aromatic bitter tonic for temporary loss of appetite
Digestive aid for mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating (stimulates gastric and bile secretion) - a comprehensive review also documents gastroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity
Digestive aid for mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating (stimulates gastric and bile secretion) - a comprehensive review also documents gastroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from gastroprotective action
Aromatic bitter tonic for temporary loss of appetite
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Digestive aid for mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating (stimulates gastric and bile secretion) - a comprehensive review also documents gastroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity
inferred from hepatoprotective action
Digestive aid for mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating (stimulates gastric and bile secretion) - a comprehensive review also documents gastroprotective, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from hepatoprotective action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from digestive action
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from sedative action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Because bitters increase stomach-acid secretion, centaury is contraindicated in peptic (stomach or duodenal) ulcer disease and hyperacidity.
Traditional use only; appetite loss or dyspepsia that persists needs medical assessment. Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended.
Pregnancy: Do not use (traditional concern around stimulating menstruation/uterus) (Health Canada, n.d.). Breastfeeding: Health Canada advises talk to a healthcare professional first (Health Canada, n.d.). Kids: It’s often described as a “gentle” traditional tea, but large amounts are not a good idea—there’s a published case where a toddler became very sleepy/“slowed down” after consuming a lot. Keep catnip tea away from toddlers unless a clinician advises it (Osterhoudt et al., 1997). Sedatives / alcohol: Catnip can be calming, so don’t stack it with other sedating herbs/sleep meds/alcohol (you could get extra drowsy) (WebMD, n.d.a). Essential oil caution: Catnip essential oil is concentrated. Research notes it may cause mild skin irritation for some people—always dilute, patch test, and never treat it like “tea.” (Reichert et al., 2019)
Duke (2002) describes catnip primarily as a sedative, diaphoretic, and emmenagogue with experimental (score 1) support. It has demonstrated uterotonic and oxytocic activity, making it contraindicated in pregnancy. The active compounds include nepetalactone and iridoids. Catnip is classified as a mild nervine and antispasmodic in traditional North American herbal medicine, though clinical trials are lacking. Due to its emmenagogue and uterotonic properties, medicinal-dose use should be avoided during pregnancy (Duke, 2002).
External Ids
Botanical Description
Slender annual or biennial herb with a basal rosette of oval leaves and an erect, wiry, four-angled flowering stem branching near the top. Small, star-shaped, pink flowers with five pointed petals open only in sunshine, borne in dense, flat-topped clusters at the stem tips.[12]
Perennial herb, 30-100 cm tall, with greyish-green, downy, square stems typical of the mint family. Leaves are opposite, triangular-ovate with scalloped or toothed margins, grey-green above and softly felted (whitish) beneath, releasing a minty-lemony aroma when crushed. Small white flowers, spotted with purple or pink, are borne in dense terminal and axillary spikes. Nepetalactone, the volatile compound famous for its effect on cats, is concentrated in glandular hairs on the leaves and stems.[9]
Habitat
Grows in dry grassland, chalk downland, dunes and open woodland on well-drained, often calcareous soils; native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.[12]
Native to Europe and temperate Asia and widely naturalised in North America; grows on disturbed, sunny ground - roadsides, waste places, hedgebanks and dry, calcareous or well-drained soils.[9]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut in summer while in flower, when the intensely bitter secoiridoid content is highest, and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.[12]
Traditional Uses
Centaury is one of the classic European bitter digestive herbs, traditionally used for temporary loss of appetite and mild dyspeptic complaints such as indigestion and bloating, stimulating gastric and bile secretion.[12]
Catnip has a long North American and European folk-medicine history as a mild sedative/nervine, diaphoretic (fever-reducing, sweat-promoting) remedy, carminative digestive and traditional emmenagogue; it was also given as a children's tea for colic and restlessness, though large amounts are not advised for young children and it is traditionally avoided in pregnancy.[9]
Preparations
Dried herb macerated in cold water for several hours, which extracts the bitter principles while minimising extraction of harsher tannins; a traditional preparation method for bitters.
Dried herb infused briefly in hot water and taken shortly before meals as a bitter digestive tonic.
Tincture of the dried herb; the EU herbal monograph gives 1.5-5 g up to three times daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph gives 1-4 g of the comminuted herb in 200 mL of boiling water as an infusion, up to 4 times daily, in adults and elderly; a powdered herbal substance at 0.25-2 g up to 3 times daily, liquid extract 2-4 mL up to 3 times daily, and tincture 1.5-5 g up to 3 times daily are also listed. Not recommended under 18 years, and contraindicated in peptic ulcer. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Health Canada's NNHPD monograph gives 1.2-12 g of dried herb top per day for adults 18 years and older, with infusion among the accepted methods of preparation. Educational reference only, not a prescription. Keep away from toddlers and young children beyond very small amounts, and avoid medicinal-dose use in pregnancy.
References
Lookalikes Review
Drug Class Interactions
Not documented
References & Sources
- Tuluce, Y., Ozkol, H., Koyuncu, I. and Ine, H (2011) 'Gastroprotective effect of small centaury (Centaurium erythraea L) on aspirin-induced gastric damage in rats', Toxicology and Industrial Health, 27(8), pp. 760-768. doi:10.1177/0748233710397421 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1177/0748233710397421 - Chabane, S., Boudjelal, A., Bouaziz-Terrachet, S., Spinozzi, E. et al (2023) 'Analgesic effect of Centaurium erythraea and molecular docking investigation of the major component swertiamarin', Natural Product Research, 38(24), pp. 4511-4517. doi:10.1080/14786419.2023.2278160 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2023.2278160 - Akşit, H., Gözcü, S. and Altay, A (2022) 'Isolation and cytotoxic activities of undescribed iridoid and xanthone glycosides from Centaurium erythraea Rafn. (Gentianaceae)', Phytochemistry, 205, pp. 113484. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113484 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113484 - El Menyiy, N., Guaouguaou, F.E., El Baaboua, A., El Omari, N., Taha, D. and others (2021) 'Phytochemical properties, biological activities and medicinal use of Centaurium erythraea Rafn', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, pp. 2021. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114171 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114171 - Guedes, L., Reis, P.B.P.S., Machuqueiro, M., Ressaissi, A., Pacheco, R. and Serralheiro, M.L (2019) 'Bioactivities of Centaurium erythraea (Gentianaceae) Decoctions: Antioxidant Activity, Enzyme Inhibition and Docking Studies', Molecules, 24(20), pp. 3795. doi:10.3390/molecules24203795 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24203795 - Dordevic, M., Mihailovic, M., Arambasic Jovanovic, J., Grdovic, N., Uskokovic, A., Tolic, A., Sinadinovic, M., Rajic, J., Misic, D., Siler, B., Poznanovic, G., Vidakovic, M. and Dinic, S (2017) 'Centaurium erythraea methanol extract protects red blood cells from oxidative damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 202, pp. 172-183. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.016 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.016 - Dordevic, M., Grdovic, N., Mihailovic, M., Arambasic Jovanovic, J., Uskokovic, A., Rajic, J., Sinadinovic, M., Tolic, A., Misic, D., Siler, B., Poznanovic, G., Vidakovic, M. and Dinic, S (2019) 'Centaurium erythraea extract improves survival and functionality of pancreatic beta-cells in diabetes through multiple routes of action', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 242, pp. 112043. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.112043 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112043 - Chda, A., El Kabbaoui, M., Fresco, P., Silva, D., Goncalves, J., Oliveira, A.P., Andrade, P.B., Valentao, P., Tazi, A., El Abida, K. and Bencheikh, R (2019) 'Centaurium Erythraea Extracts Exert Vascular Effects through Endothelium- and Fibroblast-dependent Pathways', Planta Medica, 86(2), pp. 121-131. doi:10.1055/a-1023-8918 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1023-8918 - Kumarasamy, Y., Nahar, L., Cox, P.J., Jaspars, M. and Sarker, S.D (2003) 'Bioactivity of secoiridoid glycosides from Centaurium erythraea', Phytomedicine, 10(4), pp. 344-347. doi:10.1078/094471103322004857 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1078/094471103322004857 - Kachmar, M.R., Oliveira, A.P., Valentao, P., Gil-Izquierdo, A., Dominguez-Perles, R., Ouahbi, A., Badaoui, K.E., Andrade, P.B. and Ferreres, F (2018) 'HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS phenolic profile and in vitro biological potential of Centaurium erythraea Rafn aqueous extract', Food Chemistry, 278, pp. 424-433. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.11.082 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.11.082 - Mandova, T., Audo, G., Michel, S. and Grougnet, R (2017) 'Off-line coupling of new generation centrifugal partition chromatography device with preparative high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry triggering fraction collection applied to the recovery of secoiridoid glycosides from Centaurium erythraea Rafn. (Gentianaceae)', Journal of Chromatography A, 1513, pp. 149-156. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2017.07.023 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2017.07.023 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (n.d.) 'Assessment report on Centaurium erythraea Rafn s.l., herba (Centaurii herba)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/assessment-report-centaurium-erythraea-rafn-sl-herba_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/assessment-report-centaurium-erythraea-rafn-sl-herba_en.pdf - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'Centaury (Centaurium erythraea): Benefits, Safety, Uses'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/centaury/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/centaury/ - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2015) 'European Union herbal monograph on Centaurium erythraea Rafn s.l., herba (Centaurii herba)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/european-union-herbal-monograph-centaurium-erythraea-rafn-sl-herba_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/european-union-herbal-monograph-centaurium-erythraea-rafn-sl-herba_en.pdf
- Geissler, M., Neubauer, C., Sheludko, Y.V. and Warzecha, H (2024) 'Nepeta cataria L. (catnip) can serve as a chassis for the engineering of secondary metabolic pathways', Biotechnology Letters, 46(5), pp. 843-850. doi:10.1007/s10529-024-03489-w Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-024-03489-w - Lockhart, A., Simon, J.E. and Wu, Q (2024) 'Stability study of Nepeta cataria iridoids analyzed by LC/MS', Phytochemical Analysis, 35(7), pp. 1674-1687. doi:10.1002/pca.3410 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.3410 - Nadeem, A., Shahzad, H., Ahmed, B., Muntean, T. and others (2022) 'Phytochemical profiling of antimicrobial and potential antioxidant plant: Nepeta cataria', Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, pp. 969316. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.969316 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.969316 - Tan, J., Li, J., Ma, J. and Qiao, F (2019) 'Hepatoprotective effect of essential oils of Nepeta cataria L. on acetaminophen-induced liver dysfunction', Bioscience Reports, 39(8), pp. BSR20190697. doi:10.1042/BSR20190697 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20190697 - Mollova, S., Dzhurmanski, A., Fidan, H., Bojilov, D. and others (2023) 'Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Nepeta cataria L. Cultivated in Bulgaria and Their Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity', ACS Omega, 8(17), pp. 15441-15449. doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c00704 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c00704 - Reichert, W., Ejercito, J., Guda, T., Dong, X. and others (2019) 'Repellency Assessment of Nepeta cataria Essential Oils and Isolated Nepetalactones on Aedes aegypti', Scientific Reports, 9(1), pp. 1524. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36814-1 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36814-1 - Tiwari, G., Chaturvedi, T., Gupta, A.K., Lal, R.K. and others (2023) 'Assessment of Genetic Diversity, Micromorphology and Antimicrobial Activity in Nepeta cataria L', Chemistry & Biodiversity, 20(2), pp. e202200241. doi:10.1002/cbdv.202200241 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202200241 - Giarratana, F., Muscolino, D., Ziino, G., Lo Presti, V. and others (2017) 'Activity of Catmint (Nepeta cataria) essential oil against Anisakis larvae', Tropical Biomedicine, 34(1), pp. 22-31. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33592976/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33592976/ - Sarkar, M., Rashmi, R., Vikramaditya and Varma, P.N (1995) 'Pharmacognosy of Nepeta cataria', Ancient Science of Life, 14(4), pp. 225-234. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22556702/ Traditional / reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22556702/ - Bernardi, M.M., Kirsten, T.B., Lago, J.H.G., Giovani, T.M. and Massoco, C.O (2011) 'Nepeta cataria L. var. citriodora (Becker) increases penile erection in rats', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 137(3), pp. 1318-1322. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.061 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.061 - Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (2026) 'Natural Health Product Monograph: Catnip - Nepeta cataria'. Available at: https://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/dbImages/mono_catnip_english.pdf Traditional / reference
https://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/dbImages/mono_catnip_english.pdf - British Herbal Medicine Association (1983) 'British Herbal Pharmacopoeia'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=British%20Herbal%20Pharmacopoeia - Gilani, A.H., Shah, A.J., Zubair, A., Khalid, S., Kiani, J., Ahmed, A., Rasheed, M. and Ahmad, V.U (2009) 'Chemical composition and mechanisms underlying the spasmolytic and bronchodilatory properties of the essential oil of Nepeta cataria L', 121(3), pp. 405--411. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.11.004 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.11.004 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.). Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition - Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar, M. and Hosseinzadeh, H (2024) 'Therapeutic potential of hypnotic herbal medicines: A comprehensive review', Phytotherapy Research, 38(6), pp. 3037-3059. doi:10.1002/ptr.8201 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.8201 - Block, K.I., Gyllenhaal, C. and Mead, M.N (2004) 'Safety and efficacy of herbal sedatives in cancer care', Integrative Cancer Therapies, 3(2), pp. 128-148. doi:10.1177/1534735404265003 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735404265003
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.