Passion flower

Passiflora incarnata

Passiflora incarnata L. is a fast-growing perennial vine (family Passifloraceae) occurring from Virginia to southern Illinois and southeast Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. Passiflora is known by the names passionflower, maypop, and apricot vine. Passion flower was introduced into medicine in 1840 by Dr. L. Phares of Mississippi. The remedy remained buried in obscurity until Prof. I. J. M. Goss of Atlanta, Georgia, reintroduced it into the practice of eclectic physicians in the late nineteenth century. For many years, the dried flowering and fruiting top of the perennial climbing vine Passiflora incarnata has enjoyed a reputation as a calmative agent and sedative. Passion flower was listed in The National Formulary from 1916 to 1936 but has since fallen into disuse in the United States. Without valid evidence to support taking passion flower extract as a sedative or nighttime sleep aid, the FDA has not recognized it as generally safe or effective since 1978. Still, it continues to be incorporated into many sedative-hypnotic drug mixtures marketed in Europe. A sedative chewing gum containing passiflora extract and vitamins was patented in 1978 in Romania.

Constituents responsible for the pharmacological activity of passion flower have been the subject of ongoing research throughout most of this century. Passion flower does contain one or more so-called harmala alkaloids, but their number and identity are disputed. Besides, such alkaloids generally act as stimulants, not depressants. A Polish report that both an alkaloid fraction and a flavonoid pigment fraction produced sedative effects in mice was subsequently followed up by Japanese investigators. They were able to isolate small amounts of the pyrone derivative maltol from an alkaloid-containing extract of the plant. Maltol was found to induce depression in mice and to exhibit other sedative properties. The scientists concluded that the depressant effects of maltol, no doubt, counteracted the stimulant action of the harmala alkaloids but were not strong enough to explain the total sedative effects of the plant extract. Flavonoids including vitexin, isovitexin, isoorientin, schaftoside, and isoschaftoside have also been identified and may contribute to biological activity. Further studies are obviously necessary before the active principles of passion flower can definitely be identified.

Passion flower preparations have been used in homeopathic medicines, especially in Europe, to treat insomnia, nervous exhaustion, and pain. The herbal medicine is used for similar problems.
Very little clinical research has been conducted on passion flower, but animal research suggests passion flower may affect the nervous system in several ways. At some doses, passion flower may have stimulant properties, but the primary effect seems to be sedative. At high doses (10 mg extract per 10 g body weight in the mouse), passion flower extract can counteract stimulation from methamphetamine. It may be necessary to utilize the extract for the expected effect: various components have quite different activities. The controversial harman alkaloids are said to be stimulating, but they also relax spasm in smooth muscle, dilate coronary arteries, and lower blood pressure. Maltol, on the other hand, slowed mice down, relaxed their muscles, and slowed their respiration and heart rate.

Despite the dearth of clinical research, in Europe passion flower is used for tension, restlessness, and irritability with mild insomnia. Passion flower has also been used for "functional" digestive problems and restlessness in children. Passion flower is one of the most popular herbal sedatives in the United Kingdom, included as an ingredient in a large number of proprietary herbal mixtures. Combinations of passion flower, valerian root, and lemon balm are approved in Germany to treat difficulty falling asleep due to nervousness and also nervous unrest.

Passion flower is a wonderfully relaxing remedy and one of the best tranquilizing herbs for chronic insomnia, having no addictive effects and allowing you to awake refreshed and alert in the morning. Passion flower has a sedative and antispasmodic action, relaxing spasm and tension in the muscles, and calming the nerves and lessening pain. Passion flower can be used for neuralgia, shingles, sciatica, Parkinson's disease, muscle pain, twitching and spasm, anxiety, agitation, stress and any physical problem that is stress-related, such as colic and asthma, as well as high blood pressure. Wherever physical symptoms are related to or aggravated by anxiety or tension, passionflower can be added to your chosen prescription; for example for hot flashes, migraine, headaches, abdominal pain or a tickly cough.

Passion flower exerts its beneficial effects on the nerves by toning the sympathetic nerve centre, and improving circulation and nutrition to the nerves. The name passion flower gives little indication of its action; passion flower  was so called by Spanish explorers and missionaries who saw a resemblance in the flower to the crown of thorns of Christ's passion.

Passion flower is primarily a sedative acting on the central nervous system, through the combined actions of the alkaloids, flavonoids, and the 8-pyrone derivative, although the mechanisms by which this works are not extensively researched as yet. Its sedative qualities have been used in overactive states ranging from epilepsy to neuralgia and anxiety. Passion flower is extremely useful in states of sleeplessness. One flavonoid, apigenin, is known to have antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory action which has been used in the cardiovascular system, to ease high blood pressure, and quiet palpitations. In other systems passion flower is used to ease muscle spasm.

Other names

• Apricot Vine
• Maypop
• Passiflora
• Passion Vine
• Purple Passionflower
• Wild Passionflower

Parts used

Aerial parts.

Uses

Insomnia - Passion flower is best known as a remedy for insomnia and disturbed sleep patterns, and is useful for short-term bouts of sleeplessness.
Gentle sedative - Passion flower is widely acknowledged as a good medicine for anxiety, tension, irritability, and insomnia. Its gentle sedative properties produce a relaxing effect, reducing nervous overactivity and panic, and making it a mild and nonaddictive herbal tranquilizer, comparable in some ways to valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Occasionally, it is prescribed for convulsions.
Pain relief - Passion flower has valuable painkilling properties and is given for toothache, period pain, and headaches.
Tranquilizing effects - Its ability to reduce anxiety makes passionflower valuable for many nervous states, and passion flower is used to treat conditions as diverse as asthma, palpitations, high blood pressure, and muscle cramps. In each case, its antispasmodic and tranquilizing properties are the key to its usefulness, reducing the overactivity responsible for the disorder.
Passion flower is also used to treat glue ear, and hearing disturbances.

Habitat & cultivation

Native to southern US (Virginia, Texas, and Tennessee) and to Central and South America, passion flower is now extensively cultivated in Europe, notably in Italy, as well as in North America. Passion flower is propagated from seed in spring and needs plenty of sun. The aerial parts are gathered when the plant is flowering or in fruit.

Research

Tranquilizing properties - Passion flower has been fairly well researched but its mode of action on the central nervous system is poorly understood. The aerial parts have established sedative, tranquilizing, and sleep-inducing properties, but the constituents that cause these actions have not been identified.
Indole alkaloids - Research has not yet conclusively established that passion flower contains indole alkaloids.

How much to take

The recommended intake of the dried herb is 4-8 grams three times per day. To make a tea, 0.5-2.5 grams of passion flower can be steeped with boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes and drunk two to three times per day. Alternatively, 2-4 ml of passion flower tincture can be taken per day; As mentioned, many European products combine passion flower with other sedative herbs to treat mild to moderate anxiety.

Side effects

Used in the amounts listed above, passion flower is generally safe and has not been found to negatively interact with other sedative drugs. However, some experts suggest not using passion flower with MAO- inhibiting antidepressant drugs. Passion flower has not been proven to be safe during pregnancy and lactation.

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