Passion flower extract is one of the most important and most researched herbal extracts. It is primarily prescribed for nervous disorders, and research is beginning to support passion flower's historic use for these and other health conditions.
History
Passion flower has been used for hundreds of years for conditions such as sleep disturbances and nervousness. More recently, passion flower extract has been recommended by the British Herbal Medicine Association for treating sleep disorders, anxiety, stress and restlessness. The German regulatory authority Commission E has approved passion flower for treating nervous restlessness.
Types of Extracts
Passion flower is available as a tea, alcoholic tincture or in tablet form. The most reliable extracts come from Europe, where passion flower is used extensively compared with North America. All the effects passion flower has on the body are not yet known, but alcoholic extracts of the aerial parts of the plant are the most potent.
Use in Anxiety
Several studies have examined the effect of passion flower on treating anxiety. A study published in 2001 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics found that passion flower's effectiveness was equal to that of pharmaceutical drug oxazepam in treating generalized anxiety. For acute anxiety, a study published in the scientific journal Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2008 showed that passion flower had a beneficial effect of lowering anxiety levels before surgery within 20 minutes of taking a single dose.
Studies in vitro and in animals, such as those published in the journal Planta Medica in 2008, have shown that passion flower likely has an effect on the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, known for its influence on regulating anxiety.
Other Indications
Passion flower has been examined for use in treating other conditions, with some success. A small study in children ages 6 to 13 published in the journal Therapy in 2005 found that passion flower was as effective as Ritalin for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders.
Studies in animals, conducted by a research group at the Panjab University in India, have found that extracts from passion flower can also help symptoms of withdrawal from substances such as benzodiazepines and nicotine. The research has been supported by a 2001 study in humans also published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics that showed passion flower to be effective for treating opiate withdrawal.
Directions for Use
The pharmacists' reference manual PDR for Herbal Medicines recommends a dose of 400 mg of passion flower extract in capsule form. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says traditional doses have been 0.5 grams to 2 grams of total herb taken orally, 1 to 4 milliliters of a 1-to-8 tincture or a tea prepared from 4 to 8 grams of herb.
Considerations
Passion flower is considered safe by the European Medicines Agency, which evaluates the safety and efficacy of all medicines. The NIH says side effects such as nausea, sedation and vomiting are possible. There was also one reported case of liver failure. Before taking passion flower or any other herbal extract, consult your health care provider.
References
- Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics; "Passion flower in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety: a Pilot Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial With Oxazepam"; A. Akhondzadeh et al; October 2001
- Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics; "Passionflower in the Treatment of Opiates Withdrawal: a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial"; S. Akhondzadeh et al.; October 2001
- Anesthesia and Analgesia; "Preoperative Oral Passiflora Incarnata Reduces Anxiety in Ambulatory Surgery Patients: a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study"; A. Movafegh et al.; June 2008
- "PDR for Herbal Medicines (Second Edition)"; Joerg Gruenwald et al, editors; 2000
- European Medicines Agency: Passion Flower Monograph
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