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Passion flower

The passion flower is a plant whose aerial parts are used to make medicine. In 1569, Spanish conquistadors discovered the passion flower in Peru. They believed that this flower symbolized the Passion of Christ and saw this as confirmation of their exploration of the country. Passionflower is used for sleep problems, digestive complaints associated with excitement or nervousness and general anxiety disorders, as well as to alleviate the symptoms of drug withdrawal. Passion flower extracts are also used for seizures, hysteria, asthma, symptoms of menopause, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness, excitability, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and fibromyalgia, as well as to relieve pain.

Some people apply extracts of passionflower to the skin for hemorrhoids, burns, pain, inflammation and swelling. Passion flower components are used as flavorings in foods. Passion flower extracts are found in combination with other medicinal herbs in numerous herbal products that are intended as sedatives to promote calm and relaxation. Other herbal ingredients found in these products include chamomile, hops, kava and valerian.

How effective are passion flower extracts?

Passion flower extracts may be effective for the following applications:

  • Anxiety and restlessness: there is evidence that components of passionflower can reduce symptoms of anxiety and restlessness and in some cases may be as effective as prescription medication.
  • Relief of symptoms of drug withdrawal when used in conjunction with clonidine: This combination appears to be effective in terms of reducing symptoms of drug withdrawal such as anxiety, irritability, sleep problems and restlessness. However, passionflower in combination with clonidine is no more effective than clonidine alone for symptoms such as tremors and nausea.
  • Relief of symptoms of a psychiatric disorder known as "adjustment disorder with anxious mood" as part of a product called Euphytosis (EUP). This product contains passionflower, hawthorn, valerian and black nettle, which have a mild sedative effect, as well as cola and guarana, which have a stimulating effect. However, it is not known which components of this mixture are responsible for alleviating anxiety and inner restlessness.

There is insufficient scientific data to assess the effectiveness of passionflower in the treatment of sleep disorders. Some preliminary research suggests that consuming a passionflower tea one hour before bedtime may help to improve perceived sleep quality. However, this tea does not appear to affect the time it takes to fall asleep, the frequency of night-time awakenings or the refreshed feeling on waking the next morning.

There is also a lack of scientific data on the effectiveness of passionflower for a nervous stomach, burns, hemorrhoids, asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures, fibromyalgia and other conditions. Further scientific research is needed to determine the effectiveness of passionflower.

How does passion flower work?

The chemicals contained in passionflower have calming, sleep-promoting and muscle cramp-relieving effects.

Are there any safety concerns?

Passionflower is probably safe and harmless for most people when taken orally in amounts found in food. It may be safe and harmless when used as a medicine for short periods of less than one month. However, it may not be safe when taken orally in large quantities. Passionflower can cause side effects such as dizziness, confusion, irregular muscle actions, impaired muscle coordination, altered consciousness and inflamed blood vessels. There have also been reports of nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat and abnormal heart rhythm. There is not enough information to make a statement regarding the safety of using passionflower on the skin

Precautions and warnings

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Passionflower should not be used during pregnancy as it is not safe or safe to use during this time. There are some chemicals in passionflower that can cause contractions of the uterus. Not enough is known about the safety of passionflower during breastfeeding, so breastfeeding women should refrain from using it to be on the safe side.
  • Operations: Passionflower can affect the central nervous system. It could increase the effect of anesthetics and other medications on the brain during and after operations. For this reason, you should stop taking passionflower two weeks before surgery.

Interactions with medication

Care should be taken when combining passionflower with the following medications:

Sedatives (CNS suppressing agents)

Passionflower can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking passionflower in combination with sedatives could increase drowsiness too much.

Are there any interactions with medicinal herbs or supplements?

Medicinal herbs and supplements that can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Passionflower can cause drowsiness and dizziness. A combination of passionflower with other medicinal herbs or supplements that have a similar effect could cause excessive drowsiness and dizziness. Some of these herbs and supplements are 5-HTP, calamus, golden poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican bugleweed, St. John's wort, valerian and others.

Are there any interactions with food?

There are no known interactions with food.

Dosage

The following dosages have been scientifically investigated:

General anxiety disorders:

  • 45 drops of a passionflower liquid extract daily.
  • 90 mg of a specific tablet formula daily.

To reduce symptoms associated with drug withdrawal:

  • 60 drops of a passionflower liquid extract in combination with 0.8 mg of clonidine.

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