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Dietary supplement

Catnip Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Sunshine

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Catnip is a dietary supplement by Nature's Sunshine with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for sleep and insomnia, anxiety and stress, digestive upset.Based on those ingredients, 248 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Catnip. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Catnip by Nature's Sunshine

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: catnip. The capsule itself is an inactive ingredient used to deliver the catnip powder.

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Catnip's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: calming support and nervous system support.
  • We looked for evidence on: Anxiety, Insomnia, stress, nervous tension.
  • The closest evidence on file: Catnip is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Anxiety (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Catnip is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Insomnia.

The evidence for catnip's effectiveness isn't established in the data we hold. We have insufficient reliable evidence to rate it for amenorrhea, anxiety, tension headaches, upper respiratory tract infections, indigestion, or gas.

If you're considering catnip for any of these, talk with your doctor about whether the evidence supports it for your situation.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Catnip

How safe is it?

Some data gaps
Safety Information · database check
Some gaps

Safety data exists for these ingredients, but with some important gaps.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 0 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Catnip is generally well tolerated when taken by mouth in typical amounts, though human safety data are limited. The most common side effects reported are headache, malaise, and vomiting.

Taking too much may also cause stomachache. Catnip is not recommended during pregnancy, as it may stimulate the uterus and its safety in pregnancy is not established.

There isn't enough safety information available for other situations either, so discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or have specific health concerns.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Catnip

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Catnip.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: lithium.
  • For scale: 248 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking catnip, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take CNS depressants (drugs that cause drowsiness or sedation, including sleep aids and anti-anxiety medications) or lithium. Catnip may amplify drowsiness with the first group and could alter lithium levels with the second.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and some safety-information gaps remain.

Catnip may appeal to you if you're exploring herbal options for anxiety or sleep, but the evidence supporting those uses isn't solid yet. If you take CNS depressants (like sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs) or lithium, check with your doctor or pharmacist first—the interactions are real and could affect how those medications work.

A conversation with your own healthcare provider will help you decide if this is the right choice for you.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Oct 24, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Catnip, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Sunshine
Barcode (UPC) 099904001800
Net contents 100 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Oct 24, 2022
DSLD ID 278039
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Catnip by Nature's Sunshine, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
099904001800
IngredientAmount% DV
Catnip600 mg--

Other ingredients: Capsule

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

General Statements

Bottle made from 100% post consumer recycled material. We are committed to you and our planet. Scan to learn more. We source the world's purest ingredients, no matter where they are grown, to ensure the active nutrients are delivered just as nature intended.

New look! Same great product

Seals/Symbols

Ko Pareve (Kosher)

Formula

Ko Pareve (Kosher)

Precautions

Do not use if inner seal is missing or damaged.

Formulation

Calming support Traditional nervous system support

Guaranteed pure

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Brand IP Statement(s)

Natures Sunshine Herbal experts since 1972

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommended Use: Take 2 capsules with a meal three times daily.

See for yourself

Catnip by Nature's Sunshine label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Catnip by Nature's Sunshine

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size2 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Catnip

Interacts with
248 drugs
600 mg per serving

Catnip is a mint-family herb most often used as a calming tea for sleep, anxiety, and minor digestive upset, but solid human research supporting these...

Catnip monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Capsule. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Catnip by Nature's Sunshine Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Catnip?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
248Drugs
248 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Catnip 248

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Catnip with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Catnip2 drug types · 248 drugs

Cns Depressants

Theoretically, concomitant use with drugs with sedative properties may cause additive effects and side effects.
Clinical and animal research shows that catnip has sedative properties.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Lithium

Theoretically, catnip might reduce excretion and increase levels of lithium.
Catnip is thought to have diuretic properties which might reduce lithium excretion. The dose of lithium might need to be decreased.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Catnip, from the product label.

Nature's Sunshine

See all Nature's Sunshine products
Name
Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc.
City
Spanish Fork
State
UT
ZipCode
84660
Phone Number
1-800-223-8225
Web Address
www.naturessunshine.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Catnip by Nature's Sunshine: Common Questions

Does Catnip by Nature's Sunshine interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Catnip has a known interaction with 248 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Catnip contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Will catnip make me drowsy?
Catnip does have sedative properties, so it may cause drowsiness, especially if you take it in larger amounts. If you experience headache, malaise, or vomiting, you're taking too much—scale back the dose.
Is catnip safe during pregnancy?
No, catnip is not recommended during pregnancy. It may stimulate the uterus, and its safety in pregnancy hasn't been established. Talk with your doctor if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Can I take catnip with my sleeping pills?
Not without checking first. Catnip has sedative properties that could add to the drowsiness your sleeping pills already cause, which could be unsafe. Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.
Does catnip actually work for anxiety or sleep?
The evidence isn't strong enough to rate. We don't have reliable data showing catnip works for anxiety, sleep, tension headaches, or any of the other uses people try it for, so the data can't tell you whether it will help your situation.
What's in each capsule?
Each capsule contains catnip powder and the capsule shell itself as an inactive ingredient.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Catnip label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Catnip's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 7 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Catnip 7 references
  1. Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. 3rd ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1993.
  2. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  3. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  4. Osterhoudt KC, Lee SK, Callahan JM, Henretig FM. Catnip and the alteration of human consciousness. Vet Hum Toxicol 1997;39:373-5.
  5. Sherry, C. J. and Hunter, P. S. The effect of an ethanol extract of catnip (Nepeta cataria) on the behavior of the young chick. Experientia 2-15-1979;35(2):237-238. PubMed
  6. Harney, J. W., Barofsky, I. M., and Leary, J. D. Behavioral and toxicological studies of cyclopentanoid monoterpenes from Nepeta cataria. Lloydia. 1978;41(4):367-374.
  7. Massoco, C. O., Silva, M. R., Gorniak, S. L., Spinosa, M. S., and Bernardi, M. M. Behavioral effects of acute and long-term administration of catnip (Nepeta cataria) in mice. Vet.Hum.Toxicol 1995;37(6):530-533.

See these in context on the Catnip monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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