Passionflower herb

There are a few members of the passionflower family (Passifloraceae) that have psychotropic effects. The one most studied is Pass flora incarnata, although some work has been done on Pass flora coerulea and Passiflora edulis. P. incarnata is a colorful, flowering plant with five white or lavender petals, a purple or pink corona, and five brightly colored stamen (Gruenwald et al. 1998). The parts of the plants used for medicinal effect are the whole plant or aerial parts. It is native to the mid- to southeastern United States. Passionflower has a history with Native Americans as a poultice to treat bruises, and as a tea for sedative/anxiolytic effects (Kowalchick and Hylton 1987). It is one of the most common herbs commercially available in Britain (Tyler 1994). 

Despite neuropharmacolgical and animal data to support sedative and anxiolytic effects of passionflower, there have not been any such controlled studies in humans. Two studies have been published that examined the effects of combined herbal extracts on anxiety, including passionflower (Bourin et al. 1997). Although there were significant and experimentally controlled effects, a combined herbal treatment confounds the ability to selectively identify the effects of passionflower. A second controlled study was similarly confounded by the use of a three-herb combination (Gerhard et al. 1991). 

There have been no formal studies of the toxicity of passionflower, but adverse effects have not been reported. There is one report of a case of inflammatory vasculitis associated with a preparation of passionflower (Smith et al. 1993). Like other herbs in this category, its putative benzodiazepine action contraindicates its combined use with other CNS depressants. 

Benefits The flavonoids have led to this herb s longstanding use as an effective, non-addictive sedative that does not cause drowsiness. Passionflower is an ingredient in many herbal sedative remedies. 

Fresh or dried herb and extracts are used as ingredients in some sedative preparations for nervous anxiety. Preparations include tisanes (tea), tinctures, fluid extracts, solid extracts, and sedative chewing gums available in Europe used in European proprietary tranquilizing phytomedicines in combination with valerian and hawthorn. Passionflower and... 

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