Orthosiphon aristatus

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Orthosiphon aristatus in Kadavoor.jpg

| genus = Orthosiphon

| species = aristatus

| authority = (Blume) Miq.

|synonyms_ref=

|synonyms=*Ocimum aristatum Blume

• Trichostema spirale Lour., rejected name
• Clerodendrum spicatum Thunb
• Ocimum grandiflorum Blume 1826 not Lam. 1785
• Orthosiphon stamineus Benth.
• Orthosiphon spiralis (Lour.) Merr.
• Clerodendranthus stamineus (Benth.) Kudô
• Orthosiphon velteri Doan
• Orthosiphon spicatus (Thunb.) Backer, Bakh.f. & Steenis 1950 not Benth. 1848
• Orthosiphon tagawae Murata
• Clerodendranthus spicatus (Thunb.) C.Y.Wu

}}

Orthosiphon aristatus, commonly known as cat's whiskers or Java tea, is a plant species in the family Lamiaceae (also known Labiatae). The plant is a medicinal herb found mainly throughout southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia, and tropical Queensland, Australia.[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=144294 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]Tanaka, N., Koyama, T. & Murata, J. (2005). The flowering plants of Mt. Popa, central Myanmar - Results of Myanmar-Japanese joint expeditions, 2000-2004. Makinoa 5: 1-102.Suddee, S., Paton, A.J. & Parnell, J.A.N. (2005). Taxonomic Revision of the tribe Ocimeae Dumort (Lamiaceae) in continental South East Asia III. Ociminae. Kew Bulletin 60: 3-75.Khanam, M. & Hassan, M.A. (2008). Lamiaceae. Flora of Bangladesh 58: 1-161. Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka. As a medical herb, it is used for increasing excretion of urine, lowering uric acid, protecting kidney, reducing oxidative stress, reducing inflammation, protecting liver, protecting stomach, lowering blood pressure, ameliorating diabetes, ameliorating hyperlipidemia, fighting microorganisms and fighting anorexia.{{cite journal |vauthors=Chung YS, Choo BK, Ahmed PK, Othman I, Shaikh MF |title=A Systematic Review of the Protective Actions of Cat's Whiskers (Misai Kucing) on the Central Nervous System |journal=Front Pharmacol |volume=11 |issue= |pages=692 |date=2020 |pmid=32477146 |pmc=7237571 |doi=10.3389/fphar.2020.00692 |url=|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Ameer OZ, Salman IM, Asmawi MZ, Ibraheem ZO, Yam MF |title=Orthosiphon stamineus: traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology |journal=J Med Food |volume=15 |issue=8 |pages=678–90 |date=August 2012 |pmid=22846075 |doi=10.1089/jmf.2011.1973 |url=}} It is known as {{lang|id|kumis kucing}} in Indonesia and misai kucing in Malaysia, both of which translate to cat's whiskers.

Orthosiphon aristatus is used in landscaping to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to its nectar.[http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/may17a01.html Cat's Whiskers Plant Excellent For Attracting Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds To Home Landscape]

;Varieties

1. Orthosiphon aristatus var. aristatus - most of species range
2. Orthosiphon aristatus var. velteri Suddee & A.J.Paton - Vietnam