The name Passionflower refers to the passion of Christ, and not to any ability of the plant to incite passion. Passionflower has been used in the traditional medicine of Europe and South America to treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizure. It may aid in sleep without leaving one feeling drowsy in the morning. It is a great herb for those who overwork, invigorating and aiding in concentration while at the same time, soothing and calming the nerves. It has also been traditionally used to treat GI disorders related to a nervous state.
Latin Name: Passiflora spp., Passiflora incarnata L.
Family: Passifloraceae (Passionflower Family)
Parts Used: leaf, vine, flower
Energetics: bitter, cool, dry
Actions: analgesic, anodyne, antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antitussive, aphrodisiac, cerebral vasorelaxent, diaphoretic, diuretic, hypnotic, hypotensive, nervine, sedative
Key Constituents: Flavonoids including apigenin, luteolin, scopoletin, 0.825% apigenin and luteolin glycosides, vitexin, isovitexin and their C-glycosides, kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin (Traub, n.d.); maltol; cyanogenic glycosides (gynocardin) (Sampath et al., 2011); indole alkaloids including up to 0.1% – 0.9% harman alkaloids including harmane, harmaline, and harmol (Bergner, 2001, Menzies-Trull, 2013, Traub, n.d.); amino acids (including GABA) (Traub, n.d.); fatty acids (including linoleic, linolenic, palmitic), phenolic acid; formic and butyric acids; coumarins; phytosterols; volatile oil (Sampath et al., 2011).
Preparation & Dosage:
Uses:
Learn even more with the Monographs inside the Herbarium
Cautions: