Passion flower has been used as a traditional homeopathic remedy for several different conditions, mainly anxiety and insomnia. More recently, passion flower has displayed effectiveness in treating withdrawal symptoms related to chemical dependency. Passion flower teas are taken three times daily to treat anxiety and made by steeping 1 tsp. of dried leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. To treat insomnia, the tea is taken about one hour before bedtime. Passion flower is also taken in the form of a fluid extract in 25 percent alcohol and in a dosage of 10 to 30 drops, three times per day. The tincture in 45-percent alcohol is taken in a dosage of 10 to 60 drops, three times daily.
Anxiety Treatment
Passion flower is used as a mild homeopathic treatment for anxiety. Along with treating anxiety, passion flower is used as a remedy to treat nervous stomach, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The flavonoids contained in passion flower are the compounds likely responsible for the herb's anti-anxiety effects, explains the University of Michigan Health System. European herbal pharmacopoeias prescribe passion flower doses containing at least 0.8 percent flavonoids and often combine passion flower with the medicinal herbs valerian or lemon balm to treat mild to moderate anxiety, the University of Michigan says. Little scientific evidence exists proving that passion flower is an effective anxiety remedy, however. Only preliminary human trials have indicated that passion flower can ease anxiety and animal studies have suggested that the herb can reduce agitation, explains the University of Pittsburgh. A human study found that passion flower significantly reduced anxiety in surgical patients for up to 90 minutes before surgery.
Insomnia Curative
Passion flower's calming effects in relieving anxiety are also helpful in treating insomnia. Again, little and weak supporting medical evidence is available, however. Animal studies have found that passion flower helps to prolong sleep, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Because passion flower is often combined with other herbs with calming effects, it's difficult to determine the herb's specific effects on treating insomnia, points out the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Chemical Dependency Withdrawal Treatment
Passion flower may also be an effective homeopathic remedy for treating withdrawal symptoms associated with chemical dependency. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center cites a two-week-long, double-blind clinical trial in which men who were addicted to opiate drugs took either passion flower along with clonidine, a commonly-used narcotic-withdrawal medication, or clonidine alone. Clonidine treats the physical symptoms of drug withdrawal but not the emotional and psychological symptoms. The patients who took the combination that included passion flower experienced significant improvements in the severity of emotional symptoms related to withdrawal, compared with the patients who took only clonidine, the University of Pittsburgh says.
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