Passionflower

The Herbal Medicine Resources

Passionflower or Passiflora incarnata is a wide researched botanical. We have given some of the direct, practical to follow and relevant information about the history, the books, the clinical usefulness, the toxicities, and some other interesting points.

Historical References Of Passionflower:

The earliest reference on American medicinal plants, Schoepf's Materia Medica Americana, a Latin work, was published in Germany in 1787. It mentioned use of the plant to treat the geriatric epilepsy. Later it was introduced into medicine in 1839 or 1840 by Dr. L. Phares of Mississippi.

Dr. E. D. Stapleton presented his experience in using P. incarnata tincture to treat insomnia in a 1904 issue of the Detroit Medical Journal.

 The dried flowering and fruiting tops of Passiflora. incarnata were listed in National Formulary from 1916 to 1936.

FDA & Passionflower & Herbal Research:

Prior to 1978 it was approved as a sedative and sleep aid as OTC product. During 1978 review, FDA dropped it from the list due to non-availability of proven medicinal values. It was mainly because of the negligence of American Pharmacy companies as industry was responsible for providing data on safety and usefulness of non-prescription medicine during the review process. It is listed in GRAS or Generally regarded as safe category.

This herb is widely accepted and researched and used in European countries.

Books & Literature About Passionflower:

Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996, 206–7.

 Foster S. Herbs for Your Health. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1996, 68–9.

Ernst E, ed. Passionflower. The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Edinburgh: Mosby; 2001:140-141.

Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, Ore: Eclectic Medical; 1998:109-110.

Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998: 179-180.

Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:293-296.

Mowrey, D. (1990) Guaranteed Potency Herbs. A Compilation of writing on the subject

 Foster, S. The Herb Companion (August/September): 18-23, 1991.

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The Clinical References & Research Studies Of Passionflower:

Passionflower For GAD Or Generalized Anxiety Disorder:

A double blind pilot trial was done by Akhondzadeh et al at Roozbeh Psychiatry Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. This study was published in Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. October 2001, 26-5-363-7. Its extract is given.

Extract: Passionflower was given a double blind trial for comparison of its efficacy against Oxazepam for the treatment of GAD. The conclusion of this study suggest that passionflower is effective for treatment of GAD. Its onset of action is quite slow. The herbal extract has better advantage as the job impairment was very little next morning. This study suggested to conduct further bigger tests.

Akhondzadeh S, et al. P. incarnata's usefulness for treating GAD: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:363-7.

Speroni E, et al. Sedative effects of crude extract of passiflora incarnata after oral administration. Phytotherapy Res 1996;10:S92-4.

 Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A. Anti-anxiety studies on extracts of passiflora incarnata Linnaeus. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2001;78:165-70.

Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A. Anxiolytic activity of aerial and underground parts of Passiflora incarnata. Fitoterapia 2001;72:922-6.

Krenn L. Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata L.) - a reliable herbal sedative. [German] Wien Med Wochenschr 2002;152(15-16):404-6

Wolfman C, Viola H, Paladini A, Dajas F, Medina JH. Possible anxiolytic effects of Passiflora coerulea. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1994;47(1):1-4

Herb Clip: Passionflower., "An Herbalist's View of Passionflower" American Botanical Council, Austin, Texas April 10, 1996.

Bourin M, Bougerol T, Guitton B, et al. A combination of plant extracts in the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 1997;11(2):127-132.

Natural Standard: An organization that produces scientifically based reviews of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) topics

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): A division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services dedicated to research

Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A. Comparative anxiolytic activity profile of various preparations of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus: a comment on medicinal plants' standardization. J Altern Complement Med 2002;Jun, 8(3):283-291.

Zal HM. Five herbs for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Uses, benefits, and adverse effects. Consultant. 1999;3343-3349.

Speroni, E. and A. Manhattan. Neuropharmacological Activity of Extracts from Passiflora incarnata. Planta Medica. 54: 488-491, 1988.

Passionflower In Withdrawal Of Addictive Drugs:

Akhondzadem S, et al. P. incarnata useful for treating opiate addiction: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:369-73.

Soulimani R, et al. Behavioral effects of passiflora incarnata l. and its indole alkaloid and flavonoid derivatives and maltol in the mouse.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1997;57:11-20.

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Adverse Effects & Toxicities Of Passionflower:

Fisher A, Purcell P, Le Couteur DG. Toxicity of passiflora incarnata L. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2000;38:63-6.

Giavina-Bianchi PF Jr, Castro FF, Machado ML, Duarte AJ. Occupational respiratory allergic disease induced by Passiflora alata and Rhamnus purshiana. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1997;79(5):449-54

 Fisher AA, Purcell P, Le Couteur DG. Toxicity of Passiflora incarnata L. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2000;38(1):63-6

For more detail re toxicity, especially of the dangerous unripe fruit even in edible species, see Passiflora toxicity.

Maluf E, Barros HMT, Frochtengarten ML et al., (1991) Assessment of the Hypnotic/Sedative Effects and Toxicity of Passiflora edulis Aqueous Extract in Rodents and Humans. Phytother Res 5:262-266.

Passionflower Identification:

For expert seed ID I recommend Dr John Vanderplank.

Passionflower In Epilepsy:

Spinella M: Herbal medicines and epilepsy: The potential for benefit and adverse effects. Epilepsy Behav 2001; 2(6):524-532. (PMID 12609386)

 Reduction of stress and sleeplessness may be expected to decrease seizures in some people with epilepsy.

Marker Compounds For Passionflower Standardization:

The marker compounds in this sample of passiflora incarnata are : Alkaloids .1%, Passiflorines (Iodoplatinate positive, Dragendroff negative), Harman compounds absent (no fluorescence at 365nm), detection limit, (.0000001%). 1.95% flavone Glycosides: Iso-vitexin, vitexin, orientin, Iso-orientin, Iso-schaftoside, schaftoside, other Glycosides.

 

Passion Flower Standardized Extract

Standardization

3.54% (3.5 -4.0%)

Characteristic

light brown amorphous powder

Solubility: in water (c=2)
in alcohol (50% v/v)(c=2)

complies: clear or opalescent solution
complies: clear or opalescent solution

pH

4.0 (4.0-6.0)

Ash

17.6% (<=20.0)

Heavy Metals

<100.0 (<100.00 ppm)

Total residual organic solvents

0.01% (<=0.05%)

 Ethanol

<0.005 (<=0.5%)

 Methanol

0.01% (<=0.05%)

 Methylene chloride

<0.005% (<=0.005%)

Other

<0.005% (<=0.005%)

Microbiological contents

 

 Fungi

<100.0 (<=100.0) cfu/g

Staph aureus, salmonella

absent

 E. coli

absent

Source: Your Guide to Standardized Herbal Products. Rebecca Flynn, M.S. & Mark Roest

Passion-Flower

Passion-Flower

(Click Image)

Use Passionflower For:

  1. Generalized anxiety disorder.
  2. Insomnia.
  3. Adjuvant in seizures, Irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, cough.
  4. Visit Passionflower related pages on Holistic-Herbalist to get more information.
  5. Take one vegicap once a day. Each vegicap contains Passionflower 200 mg.

Buying Information:

We recommend the interested visitors to get Passion-Flower supplements from this place. This is a good store, with reputable quality and one of the most reasonable price. Get a pack of 90 capsules.




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Passionflower - The General Information
Benefits & Uses Of Passionflower
Passionflower Clinical Research Based Actions
P. incarnata - The Clinical Research and Resources
P. incarnata - The Picture and Identification
Passionflower - The Side Effects,  Allergies



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