DankNips Ingredient Scientific Studies and Research Articles

These scientific research articles form the basis of our claims and inform DankNips product development such as which plant ingredients to choose, what form the ingredient should take, and the recommended dosage.

Every ingredient we include is selected because of its proven beneficial effects and safety.

Research Articles/Scientific Studies:

Article 1: Responsiveness of cats

Bol, S., Caspers, J., Buckingham, L. et al. Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC Vet Res 13, 70 (2017).

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Article 2: The characteristic response

Uenoyama, R., The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes. Sci. Adv.7, eabd9135 (2021).

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Article 3: Cats prefer silver vine

Uenoyama, R., Miyazaki, T., Ooka, S. et al. Free-Roaming and Captive Cats Prefer Silver Vine to Catnip for Self-Anointing. J Chem Ecol 52, 43 (2026).

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Article 4: Assessing the safety

Uenoyama, R., Ooka, S., Miyazaki, T., Mizumoto, H., Nishikawa, T., Hurst, J. L., Miyazaki, M. Assessing the safety and suitability of using silver vine as an olfactory enrichment for cats. iScience, Volume 26, Issue 10 (2023).

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Article 5: Active and passive responses

Luz Teresa Espín-Iturbe, Bernardo A. López Yañez, Apolo Carrasco García, Rodolfo Canseco-Sedano, Maribel Vázquez-Hernández, Genaro A. Coria-Avila. Active and passive responses to catnip (Nepeta cataria) are affected by age, sex and early gonadectomy in male and female cats. Behavioural Processes, Volume 142, Pages 110-115, ISSN 0376-6357 (2017).

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Article 6: Effects of seaweed

Effects of an Ascophyllum Nodosum Formulation on Oral Health Index in Dogs and Cats. Gawor J, Jank M, Jodkowska K, Klim E, Svensson UK. Front Vet Sci. 27 Jul (2018).

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The findings?

Silvervine (also known as “Matatabi” in Japanese) is preferred by cats and affects more cats than catnip. Catnip is more widely-known but less effective than silvervine. Neither plant is toxic to cats, and dried leaf is the safest and most efficacious way to serve it to cats for them to sniff and perhaps eat if they so desire. Olfactory enrichment – we call ‘sensory sessions’ – provide benefits for both pets and owners, promoting pet wellbeing and bonding.