cis,trans-Nepetalactone is one of the major iridoid lactones in catnip oil and one of the better-studied AromaForge constituents in this batch. Live sources support identity, high occurrence in catnip chemotypes, insect-repellent activity, TRPA1-linked mechanism data, and mixed-oil antimicrobial findings. The evidence is still mostly preclinical or application-focused rather than clinical, so archive copy should position cis,trans-nepetalactone as an active research constituent and insect-relevant catnip marker, not as a medical treatment claim.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem lists cis,trans-nepetalactone as CID 161367 with formula C10H14O2, InChIKey ZDKZHVNKFOXMND-NBEYISGCSA-N, and the stereochemical name (4aS,7S,7aR)-4,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-4aH-cyclopenta[c]pyran-1-one. In the local archive, catnip-canada cites this isomer at 57.09% of peak area. Public catnip literature often describes this isomer as Z,E-nepetalactone when pairing it against the trans,cis / E,Z isomer.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded herbaceous, minty, green, catnip-like descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Review the flagged use concerns across every contributing oil and the selected dilution.
- Read the route, preparation and experimental context before using a study finding to choose an oil.
Reported benefits and effects
Findings retain their study context. An animal or laboratory result describes that experiment.
A 2024 catnip essential-oil study reported cis,trans-nepetalactone at 57.09% of peak area and found broth-microdilution MIC/MBC/MFC values ranging from 0.0625 to 4.0 mg/mL against canine skin infection pathogens, with membrane-disruption findings in SEM and leakage assays.
A 2024 catnip essential-oil study reported cis,trans-nepetalactone at 57.09% of peak area and found broth-microdilution MIC/MBC/MFC values ranging from 0.0625 to 4.0 mg/mL against canine skin infection pathogens, with membrane-disruption findings in SEM and leakage assays.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2021 Current Biology study showed that nepetalactone activates fly and mosquito TRPA1 and that TRPA1 mutants are no longer repelled by catnip or nepetalactone, supporting a receptor-linked insect-repellent mechanism.
A 2021 Current Biology study showed that nepetalactone activates fly and mosquito TRPA1 and that TRPA1 mutants are no longer repelled by catnip or nepetalactone, supporting a receptor-linked insect-repellent mechanism.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
A 2011 Phytochemistry paper found that catnip oils dominated by different nepetalactone-isomer ratios were highly repellent to Anopheles gambiae in a WHO-approved topical assay, and that purified isomers alone were generally less active than intact oils.
A 2011 Phytochemistry paper found that catnip oils dominated by different nepetalactone-isomer ratios were highly repellent to Anopheles gambiae in a WHO-approved topical assay, and that purified isomers alone were generally less active than intact oils.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 1969 Science paper on domestic cats reported that force-fed cis,trans-nepetalactone was largely recovered as urinary metabolites, mainly alpha-nepetalinic acid, with no marked physiological or histological effects observed at the tested oral doses.
A 1969 Science paper on domestic cats reported that force-fed cis,trans-nepetalactone was largely recovered as urinary metabolites, mainly alpha-nepetalinic acid, with no marked physiological or histological effects observed at the tested oral doses.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernFlagged
Flagged in the constituent reference; assess the source, route and finished-product concentration.
Phototoxicity concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Oxidation concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Penetration enhancementNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
No numeric constituent-specific use limit is available here. Missing is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
No constituent-specific IFRA dermal limit or phototoxicity warning was located for isolated cis,trans-nepetalactone in the reviewed public sources.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Catnip essential oil literature and EPA-context summaries described in repellent papers generally frame catnip oil as human-use compatible but capable of mild skin irritation, which should not be overgeneralized to a pure isolated constituent.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Constituents it may interact with
No constituent-pair interaction is recorded for this identity. The report does not assume either amplification or incompatibility.
How the effects were investigated
insect trpa1 activation
A 2021 Current Biology paper found that catnip extract and nepetalactone directly activate insect TRPA1 in vitro and that TRPA1 mutants in flies and mosquitoes lose normal repellency responses.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
ratio dependent repellency
Repellency studies suggest activity is not only constituent-dependent but also ratio-dependent across the two major nepetalactone isomers and supporting oil components.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
What this report cannot establish
- A reported constituent percentage does not establish an effective human therapeutic dose or the amount absorbed into the body.
- The presence of a constituent does not guarantee a clinical benefit, rash treatment or sleep improvement from a custom blend.
- An unflagged concern or missing use limit does not establish safety for ingestion, inhalation, skin exposure or a particular person.
- A candidate constituent interaction does not establish that two oils amplify one another at the selected proportions.
- Constituent descriptors alone do not establish a precise top, heart or base lifetime in a finished blend.
Known data gaps (5)
- Most accessible bioactivity studies test whole catnip oils or paired nepetalactone isomers rather than purified cis,trans-nepetalactone alone across multiple dose ranges.
- Human clinical safety or efficacy data specific to isolated cis,trans-nepetalactone were not located in the reviewed public sources.
- No constituent-specific IFRA dermal limit or primary phototoxicity source was located for the isolated isomer.
- No constituent-specific numeric dermal reference is available here.
- Some findings do not record an explicit exposure route; consult the linked study before applying them to a use.