Passion flower, or passiflora, is a perennial creeping vine native to the southern United States, Mexico, Central and South America. The plant's name dates back to the 17th century, when Spanish missionaries first encountered the plant and compared its purple and white blossoms and other elements to the passion of Christ. The leaves, stems and flowers are all used medicinally.
Traditionally, passion flower was used by Native Americans as a sedative. It is used in much the same way today; the German Commission E has approved the use of passion flower to treat nervous restlessness and exhaustion. It is also incorporated into many dietary supplements designed to promote sleep. It is frequently combined with valerian, lemon balm and other herbs to ease pain and tension and help people fall asleep. The main ingredients in passion flower are a series of flavonoids, including vitexin, isovitexin, and chrysin, which are believed to be responsible for its sedative, relaxing properties.
The recommended dosage of passion flower is two grams of dried herb taken three or four times a day. Alternatively, patients can make a passion flower tea by combining 0.5-2.5 grams of the herb in boiling water, or consuming 2-4 ml of a passion flower tincture up to four times daily. In Europe, most herbal pharmacists recommend that passion flower products contain no less than 0.8 percent total flavonoids.
Passion flower is available in a wide variety of forms, from fresh cut herb to tablets, extracts (both fluid and dry), tinctures and infusions. Passion flower is often used in conjunction with other herbal products designed to promote relaxation.
When used as directed, passion flower is generally safe and does not appear to act negatively with other sedative drugs. The American Herbal Products Association has given the herb a class 1 rating, meaning that it can be safely consumed when used appropriately. However, it should not be taken by women who are pregnant or lactating.
At the time of this writing, there are no well-known drug interactions with passion flower. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking passion flower or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
References
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