This is an herb many of you may not have heard of before, even though it is in fact, one of the most respected antimicrobial herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is said to Expel External Wind Invasions. This means it fights common colds, which means viruses! Common colds are all viral infections.

Schizonepeta (Schizonepeta tenuifolia) or Japanese catnip — not the kitty favorite, “true catnip” (genus Nepeta) — is commonly used to treat common cold symptoms such as chills and fever, headaches, runny nose, itchy eyes, stiff neck, sore throat, and the like.

It is also considered one of the most important herbs for healing itchy skin conditions such as allergic skin rashes, eczema, and early stage measles (it helps to vent the rash, reducing itching and aiding recovery).

This is a lovely pine scented herb in the mint family that is well worth learning more about.

Find out more about what this herb can treat and how to use it.

Discover Schizonepeta (Jing Jie) and other herbs by visiting our Herb Directory.