Thanks Sir for the information !! tanay On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 9:34 AM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Dear Tanay > Perhaps this may satisfy you (biochemical reason): > > "The attraction of feline mammals to the odor of catnip (also called > catmint) is not limited to domestic house cats. In fact, is is apparently > attractive to all members of the cat family (Felidae), including lions and > tigers. The chemical in catnip responsible for the unusual and comical > behavior of cats is nepetalactone, a methylcyclopentane monoterpene. It is > found in the leaves, stems and inforescences of catnip plants. Dried leaves, > stems and flowers are placed in catnip toys and sold in natural food stores > as a medicinal tea. Nepetalactone occurs naturally in cis-trans and > trans-cis isomers. These isomers have slightly different 3-dimensional > shapes with respect to the position of the methyl group on the cyclopentane > component of the molecule. According to the Merck Index (1983), the > cis-trans isomer comprises 70-99 percent of the nepetalactone in catnip > plants." > > For more of this please go the original source: > > http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph37.htm > > <http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph37.htm>Perhaps now you won't ask that > question again > > On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 9:19 AM, tanay bose <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I could never understand the secret behind its common name being catnip !! >> tanay >> >> On Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 7:22 AM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Nepeta cataria from Kashmir, commonly found in grazed areas and >>> wastelands, photographed from Pampore on June 20, 2010 >>> >>> Common names: Catnip, Catmint >>> French: Cataire, Menthe des chats >>> German: Katzenminze >>> Spanish: Hierba gatera, Menta de gato >>> >>> Leaves and shoots used as flavouring; dried leaves used in stews and >>> soups; leaves chewed in toothache; oil of catnip obtained from herb. >>> >>> -- >>> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >>> Retired Associate Professor >>> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >>> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >>> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >>> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Tanay Bose >> Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant >> Department of Botany >> University of British Columbia >> 3529-6270 University Blvd. >> Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) >> Phone: 778-323-4036 >> >> > > > -- > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > Retired Associate Professor > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > -- Tanay Bose Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant Department of Botany University of British Columbia 3529-6270 University Blvd. Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) Phone: 778-323-4036
