Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
This climbing shrub is native to the tropical parts of the United States from Virginia to Florida and westward to Missouri and Arkansas. The name comes translated from Italian- fiore della passione- in reference to the flower's resemblance to the implements of the crucifixion. It does produce a mesmerizing and beautiful yet delicate flower which develops into a large oval fleshy fruit. The Eclectic Physicians used it to promote healthy sleep, especially where restlessness, wakefulness and interrupted sleep were the chief complaints due to debility or exhaustion. The whole plant is used to make medicine, yet the stem and leaves seem to have the highest amount of chemical activity.
What is Passionflower Used For?
There have been scarce human clinical trials on this plant, yet it remains a steadfast choice of traditional herbalists for its ability to gently restore debilitated nerve centers by promoting nutrition uptake at the cellular level. It supports a calming and relaxing effect on the body during times of occasional stress.
Traditional Health Benefits of Passionflower
Additional Information on this Herb
flavonoids including vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, apigenin, quercetin, vicenin, lucenin, saponarin, swertisin, schaftoside, and kaempferol. indole alkaloids harman, harmol, harmin, harmalol, and harmalin.
Flowering Vine
1.)Patel SS, Mohamed Saleem TS, Ravi V, et al. Passiflora incarnata Linn: a phytopharmacological review. Int J Green Pharmacy 2009;Oct-Dec:277-80. 2.)Miroddi M, Calapai G, Navarra M, et al. Passiflora incarnata L: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials. J Ethnopharmacol 2013;150:791-804. 3.)Ngan A, Conduit R. A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytother Res 2011;25:1153-9.
Not for use during pregnancy or lactation. If you have a medical condition or take pharmaceutical drugs please consult your doctor prior to use.
- This information in our Herbal Reference Guide is intended only as a general reference for further exploration, and is not a replacement for professional health advice. This content does not provide dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. Accordingly, this information should be used only under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner such as a naturopathic physician.
Popular Herbs
Our Herbal Reference Guide lets you enhance your relationship with herbs by giving you a comprehensive profile of each plant.
We're sorry, there were no result found for Popular Herbs.