PASSIONFLOWER
Passiflora incarnata L. is a fast-growing perennial vine (family Passifloraceae) occurring from Virginia to southern Illinois and southeast Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. Passiflora is known by the names passionflower, maypop, and apricot vine. Passion flower was introduced into medicine in 1840 by Dr. L. Phares of Mississippi. The remedy remained buried in obscurity until Prof. I. J. M. Goss of Atlanta, Georgia, reintroduced it into the practice of eclectic physicians in the late nineteenth century. For many years, the dried flowering and fruiting top of the perennial climbing vine Passiflora incarnata has enjoyed a reputation as a calmative agent and sedative. Passion flower was listed in The National Formulary from 1916 to 1936 but has since fallen into disuse in the United States. Without valid evidence to support taking passion flower extract as a sedative or nighttime sleep aid, the FDA has not recognized it as generally safe or effective since 1978. Still, it continues to be incorporated into many sedative-hypnotic medication mixtures marketed in Europe. A sedative chewing gum containing passiflora extract and vitamins was patented in 1978 in Romania. Constituents responsible for the pharmacological activity of passion flower have been the subject of ongoing research throughout most of this century. Passion flower does contain one or more so-called harmala alkaloids, but their number and identity are disputed. Besides, such alkaloids generally act as stimulants, not depressants. A Polish report that both an alkaloid fraction and a flavonoid pigment fraction produced sedative effects in mice was subsequently followed up by Japanese investigators. They were able to isolate small amounts of the pyrone derivative maltol from an alkaloid-containing extract of the plant. Maltol was found to induce depression in mice and to exhibit other sedative properties. The scientists concluded that the depressant effects of maltol, no doubt, counteracted the stimulant action of the harmala alkaloids but were not strong enough to explain the total sedative effects of the plant extract. Flavonoids including vitexin, isovitexin, isoorientin, schaftoside, and isoschaftoside have also been identified and may contribute to biological activity. Further studies are obviously necessary before the active principles of passion flower can definitely be identified. Passion flower is a wonderfully relaxing remedy and one of the best tranquilizing herbs for chronic insomnia, having no addictive effects and allowing you to awake refreshed and alert in the morning. Passion flower has a sedative and antispasmodic action, relaxing spasm and tension in the muscles, and calming the nerves and lessening pain. Passion flower can be used for neuralgia, shingles, sciatica, Parkinson's disease, muscle pain, twitching and spasm, anxiety, agitation, stress and any physical problem that is stress-related, such as colic and asthma, as well as high blood pressure. Wherever physical symptoms are related to or aggravated by anxiety or tension, passionflower can be added to your chosen prescription; for example for hot flashes, migraine, headaches, abdominal pain or a tickly cough. Passion flower exerts its beneficial effects on the nerves by toning the sympathetic nerve centre, and improving circulation and nutrition to the nerves. The name passion flower gives little indication of its action; passion flower was so called by Spanish explorers and missionaries who saw a resemblance in the flower to the crown of thorns of Christ's passion. PARTS USED Aerial parts. USES Insomnia - Passion flower is best known as a remedy for insomnia and disturbed sleep patterns, and is useful for short-term bouts of sleeplessness. Gentle sedative - Passion flower is widely acknowledged as a good medicine for anxiety, tension, irritability, and insomnia. Its gentle sedative properties produce a relaxing effect, reducing nervous overactivity and panic, and making it a mild and nonaddictive herbal tranquilizer, comparable in some ways to valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Occasionally, it is prescribed for convulsions. Pain relief - Passion flower has valuable painkilling properties and is given for toothache, period pain, and headaches.Tranquilizing effects - Its ability to reduce anxiety makes passionflower valuable for many nervous states, and passion flower is used to treat conditions as diverse as asthma, palpitations, high blood pressure, and muscle cramps. In each case, its antispasmodic and tranquilizing properties are the key to its usefulness, reducing the overactivity responsible for the disorder. Other medical uses - Glue ear, Temporomandibular joint syndrome or disorder / TMJ (TMD), Tension headache.
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