Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) is a climbing shrub native to the tropical parts of the United States which produces a beautiful, delicate flower that develops into a large, fleshy fruit. Traditional herbalists used passionflower to promote sleep, especially when patients complained of restlessness and interrupted sleep due to exhaustion. Recent clinical trials using passionflower show it is one of the most valuable and effective herbal anxiety remedies in addition to its usefulness in improving sleep and treating insomnia.
Research on passionflower benefits for anxiety
Passionflower has been found in human studies to effectively treat both acute and chronic anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder.[1,2] Single doses of passionflower extract have been found to decrease anxiety in patients about to undergo surgery, indicating passion
flower is beneficial in times of acute anxiety. One placebo-controlled trial involved 60 patients heading to surgery.[1] Thirty minutes before receiving spinal anesthesia, baseline anxiety levels were assessed. Patients were then randomly assigned to two groups: passionflower extract or placebo. Anxiety levels were re-tested just before surgery and those who had received passionflower were significantly less anxious. No side effects, sedation, or affects on muscle activity or mental process occurred.
Another clinical trial found that passionflower is as effective as the benzodiazepine oxazepam for generalized anxiety disorder.[2] This 4-week double-blind study of 36 individuals with generalized anxiety disorder compared passionflower to the standard anti-anxiety drug oxazepam. Half the participants received 45 drops a day of a standardized liquid passionflower extract while the other subjects received 30 mg of oxazepam. Although oxazepam worked more quickly, both treatments were equally effective by the end of the trial. Not only that, but passionflower was superior in terms of side-effects: oxazepam caused more job-related problems such as daytime drowsiness.
Research on passionflower benefits for sleep
Studies have also found that passionflower improves sleep quality and can be an effective treatment for insomnia. In one study, 41 subjects drank passionflower tea or placebo tea every night for a week before going to sleep.[3] Sleep quality was rated as significantly better in those drinking passionflower tea compared to those drinking placebo tea. Passionflower may be even more effective for insomnia when combined with other herbs. The combination of passionflower, valerian, hops, and lemon balm is a common formula used by naturopathic physicians for inducing sleep.
One double- blind, randomized, controlled trial compared the drug zolpidem (Ambien) to a combination of passionflower, valerian, and hops extracts in patients diagnosed with insomnia. For 2 weeks, 78 subjects were treated with either one tablet of the passionflower combination or a standard dose of zolpidem at bedtime. Insomnia improved equally in both groups, with significant improvements in total sleep time, time taken to initially fall asleep, number of nightly awakenings, and insomnia severity scores in both groups. The study authors concluded that the combination of passionflower, valerian, and hops extracts “…is a safe and effective short-term alternative to zolpidem for primary insomnia.”[4] (Read more about insomnia here.)
Passionflower remedies for children with stress and anxiety
Passionflower is a safe herbal remedy for children and teens as well as adults. Accomplished herbalist and naturopathic physician, Dr. Mary Bove, includes passionflower as one of her four favorite stress-busting herbs for kids.[5] Dr. Bove is the author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants and is considered an authoritative reference on natural pediatric medicine. “Mayan healers recognized passionflower’s special usefulness in children, and traditionally employed the herb to support restful sleep, calm emotional reactivity and ease muscle twitching in kids. Today, herbalists frequently recommend passion flower as a first defense against nervousness and difficulty sleeping in teenagers,” says Dr. Bove.[5] (Read more about anxiety here.)
How to take passionflower for anxiety or insomnia
If you want to try passionflower for anxiety, a tincture (liquid alcohol extract) or extract in capsule or tablet form is recommended. To use passionflower for sleep, look for it combined with hops and valerian, and possibly with lemon balm as well. Since these preparations are sold in various strengths, take the dose recommended on the bottle as a starting dose. Stress, anxiety, and poor sleep don’t have to rule your life. You can get these problems under control with natural medicine. In many cases, a more comprehensive approach, using other nutrients, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes will enhance the effectiveness of herbal anxiety remedies like passionflower. For more information on how to comprehensively treat anxiety using natural medicine, see our guide, here.
[1] J Anesth. 2012 Feb;26(1):39-44.
[2] J Clin Pharm Ther. 2001 Oct;26(5):363-7.
[3] Phytother Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):1153-9.
[4] Indian J Pharmacol. 2013 Jan-Feb;45(1):34-9.
[5] GaiaHerbs. 2012 Oct 12. Web. 2014 Jan 1.
This blog originally appeared in 2014 and has been updated.
The post 2 Passionflower Benefits: Anti-Anxiety and Insomnia Without the Side Effects appeared first on Natural Health Advisory.
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