Passion Flower: Benefits and Facts
Passion Flower grows on long vines in shaded, woody areas of the United States. The plant was named "Passion Flower" by Spanish explorers who thought that its flowers resembled three nails and a crown of thorns, reminding them of the Passion of Christ. Both the plant and its flower can be dried and used medicinally.
Passion Flower is used as a mild sedative and sleep aid. Though few clinical trials have been conducted on Passion Flower, the herb has been used widely in Europe, and it is beginning to get attention in America as well.
Passion Flower is the main ingredient of a sleeping pill in Germany and a popular herbal sedative in the United Kingdom. In Romania, a patented chewing gum containing Passion Flower is used as a sedative. The herb is also used to treat fatigue and nervousness.
It is believed that Passion Flower has an effect on the nervous system that makes it useful in treating these ailments. The active ingredients in Passion Flower are unknown, but it is thought that the alkaloids and flavonoids it contains are among the most active of its components. A variety of other substances, including amino acids and sterols, are also said to support the actions of Passion Flower.
In addition to being used as a sedative and sleep aid, Passion Flower has been used in the treatment of asthma, circulatory problems and symptoms of menopause. It also has pain-relieving and antispasmodic effects. Passion Flower is thought to affect the nervous system in several ways. Interestingly, it can act as both a sedative and a stimulant. In fact, it is sometimes used as a hallucinogen at very high doses, though its primary therapeutic use is as a sedative.
Passion Flower is prepared as a tea or in tinctures. The usual dose is 4 to 8 grams of herb per day or 1 to 4 ml of tincture, usually in divided doses. An infusion is made by steeping 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of the herb in 2/3 cup of water for five to ten minutes. Two or three cups of Passion Flower tea can be consumed per day, including one cup before bedtime.
At reasonable doses, Passion Flower appears to be extremely safe and can be taken for as long as it is helpful. There do not appear to be any side effects.
Pregnant women should avoid Passion Flower, since its use by this population has not been studied adequately. Since it is a sedative, Passion Flower may affect the ability to drive or operate heavy machinery, so it should be used with caution before engaging in these activities.
Rarely have allergies to Passion Flower have been reported. Passion Flower does not appear to interact with any medications, but it should probably not be combined with prescription sedatives, such as Ativan, Valium or Xanax, or with barbiturates or other substances with similar actions.
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