Passionflower and Its Uses for Anxiety and Sleep

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesSide EffectsRisksDosageFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Uses

Side Effects

Risks

Dosage

Frequently Asked Questions

According to a test tube study, passionflower’s sedative effects derive from its ability to increase levels ofgamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger in the brain.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.

Passionflower.Bisstefano5 / Getty Images

Bisstefano5 / Getty Images

What Are Passionflower’s Uses?

Passionflower has been studied in the settings of anxiety, sleep, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Anxiety

Passionflower water extract at a dose of 700 milligrams (mg) per every 5 milliliters (mL) has been shown to reduce anxiety before surgery (that is, before spinalanesthesia) without changing the sedation (sleepiness) level.

Moreover, thepremedicationof passionflower 500 mg tablet was more effective thanoxazepamat lowering anxiety before surgery.However, further research on using passionflower for presurgical anxiety is needed.

Two to three weeks before surgery, let your surgical team know what herbal medicines or other supplements you take. This will help prevent complications like increased bleeding risk or, in the case of passionflower, complications with anesthesia.

It is important to note that the study samples consisted of more people assigned female than male at birth and thus may not apply to the general population.

The researchers concluded that passionflower may be an alternative to benzodiazepines for controlling anxiety in third-molar extractions.

One limitation of the study is that it did not assess the incidence ofanterograde amnesia(an inability to form new memories) and other side effects using passionflower.

Further studies with larger sample sizes and more balanced baseline characteristics are needed.

Sleep

One study evaluating the effect of drinking 250 mL of passionflower herbal tea in the evening for seven days found a significant improvement in reported sleep quality.However, the researchers noted that passionflower may have a limited impact on sleep quality in people with low anxiety levels.

A two-week clinical trial conducted asleep studyin 84 participants between 30 and 52 years old. It showed that a 60 mg passionflower extract capsule improved sleep compared to a placebo (a treatment with no active properties) in subjects withinsomniadisorder.

However, a longer treatment duration is needed to evaluate the risk of tolerance and dependence on passionflower.And since the dose used in the clinical trial was low, further studies investigating the different doses of passionflower would be needed.

Moreover, further studies directly comparing passionflower with conventional sleep medications are warranted to confirm its effectiveness in treating insomnia.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

In a study of 34 children between 6 and 13 years old, passionflower tablets andmethylphenidate(the active ingredient in the brand Ritalin) forADHDboth showed clinical benefits based on a standardized rating scale parents and teachers used over an eight-week period.

Although promising, results from larger studies are needed to confirm the therapeutic effect of passionflower for ADHD.

What Are Passionflower’s Side Effects?

Your provider may recommend you take passionflower for specific reasons. However, taking a supplement like passionflower may have potential side effects.

These side effects may be common and mild or uncommon and severe.

Common Side Effects

Based on results from clinical studies, passionflower is generally well tolerated.However, the most commonly reported side effect isdrowsiness. Other side effects includemuscle relaxationanddizziness.

Furthermore, the sedative effects of passionflower have been reported to be dose-dependent.Dose-dependent means that when more passionflower is used, the more sedation it causes.

Severe Side Effects

No serious side effects occurred during the study evaluating the effect of passionflower in insomnia disorder and ADHD.

Additionally, no side effects, including memory loss or a decline in psychomotor functions, have been linked to passionflower.

Unlike benzodiazepines, a type of depressant drug, passionflower does not cause respiratory depression (slow, shallow breathing).

If you’re having a severe allergic reaction or if any of your symptoms feel life-threatening, call911and get medical help right away.

What Are the Risks of Taking Passionflower?

While it is unknown whether it is safe to use passionflower duringbreastfeeding, passionflower should not be used duringpregnancydue to the risk of uterine contraction.

Dried alcoholic extract of passionflower at a dose of 800 mg daily for up to eight weeks was shown to be safe. However, such a dose may causedrowsiness,confusion, andataxia(uncoordinated movement) in some people.In general, avoid herbal preparations using alcohol during pregnancy.

Taking passionflower withalcoholorsedatives(medications that cause sleepiness) may increase drowsiness.

Listed below are some medications that can cause drowsiness:

Additionally, passionflower has been reported to causeQT prolongation(a condition that causes irregular heartbeat).

Listed below are some medications that can cause QT prolongation:

Passionflower may increase your risk of bleeding. Therefore, caution should be taken if you takeblood thinners, such asPlavix (clopidogrel),Jantoven (warfarin), andaspirin.

Please consult with your healthcare provider before using passionflower.

Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs.

Commercially available passionflower products mostly contain 250 to 900 mg of passionflower.The therapeutic dose of passionflower has been reported to be 500 to 1,000 mg three times daily.

For sleep: The dose used in the clinical trial was 250 mL of passionflower herbal tea, given in the evening for seven days.

For ADHD: A systematic review included a study that used passionflower tablets at a dose of 0.04 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight (mg/kg) per day (twice daily) for eight weeks.

Summary

Passionflower exhibits therapeutic potential in alleviating anxiety before surgery (i.e., spinal anesthesia, outpatient surgery, and dental surgery), promoting sleep, and improving ADHD. However, more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm such findings.

Passionflower can cause drowsiness and irregular heart rate. Therefore, it should not be taken with other medications or supplements that cause drowsiness or irregular heart rate.

Consult your healthcare provider before starting passionflower supplements, especially if you take certain medications or are breastfeeding or pregnant.

Frequently Asked QuestionsPassionflower was just as effective as midazolam (a type of benzodiazepine) in reducing anxiety before dental surgery, with the added benefit of having fewer side effects associated with cognitive impairment compared to benzodiazepines.Low doses of passionflower have been shown to improve sleep compared to a placebo (inactive treatment) in people with insomnia disorder.Passionflower can cause drowsiness, confusion, and uncoordinated movement.Thus, it is advised to avoid using passionflower when drinking alcohol and taking medications that cause drowsiness.However, no serious side effects, such as memory loss, a decline in psychomotor functions, and respiratory depression, were reported in the clinical studies.You should not take passionflower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.Exercise caution when using passionflower if you also take medications such as antiarrhythmics, antibiotics, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, blood thinners, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, among many others.This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact your pharmacist, registered dietitian nutritionist, or healthcare provider for more information about possible drug interactions.

Passionflower was just as effective as midazolam (a type of benzodiazepine) in reducing anxiety before dental surgery, with the added benefit of having fewer side effects associated with cognitive impairment compared to benzodiazepines.Low doses of passionflower have been shown to improve sleep compared to a placebo (inactive treatment) in people with insomnia disorder.

Passionflower was just as effective as midazolam (a type of benzodiazepine) in reducing anxiety before dental surgery, with the added benefit of having fewer side effects associated with cognitive impairment compared to benzodiazepines.

Low doses of passionflower have been shown to improve sleep compared to a placebo (inactive treatment) in people with insomnia disorder.

Passionflower can cause drowsiness, confusion, and uncoordinated movement.Thus, it is advised to avoid using passionflower when drinking alcohol and taking medications that cause drowsiness.However, no serious side effects, such as memory loss, a decline in psychomotor functions, and respiratory depression, were reported in the clinical studies.

Passionflower can cause drowsiness, confusion, and uncoordinated movement.Thus, it is advised to avoid using passionflower when drinking alcohol and taking medications that cause drowsiness.

However, no serious side effects, such as memory loss, a decline in psychomotor functions, and respiratory depression, were reported in the clinical studies.

You should not take passionflower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.Exercise caution when using passionflower if you also take medications such as antiarrhythmics, antibiotics, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, blood thinners, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, among many others.This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact your pharmacist, registered dietitian nutritionist, or healthcare provider for more information about possible drug interactions.

You should not take passionflower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Exercise caution when using passionflower if you also take medications such as antiarrhythmics, antibiotics, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, blood thinners, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, among many others.

This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact your pharmacist, registered dietitian nutritionist, or healthcare provider for more information about possible drug interactions.

11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Passionflower.Yeung KS, Hernandez M, Mao JJ, et al.Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance.Phytother Res. 2018;32(5):865-891. doi:10.1002/ptr.6033Elsas SM, Rossi DJ, Raber J, et al.Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method.Phytomedicine. 2010;17(12):940-949. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.002Janda K, Wojtkowska K, Jakubczyk K, et al.Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders-A systematic review.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3894. doi:10.3390/nu12123894Dantas LP, de Oliveira-Ribeiro A, de Almeida-Souza LM, Groppo FC.Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2017;22(1):e95-e101. doi:10.4317/medoral.21140da Cunha RS, Amorim KS, Gercina AC, et al.Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig. 2021;25(3):1579-1586. doi:10.1007/s00784-020-03468-1Lee J, Jung HY, Lee SI, et al.Effects of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2020;35(1):29-35. doi:10.1097/YIC.0000000000000291Anheyer D, Lauche R, Schumann D, Dobos G, Cramer H.Herbal medicines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review.Complement Ther Med. 2017;30:14-23. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.11.004Miroddi M, Calapai G, Navarra M, Minciullo PL, Gangemi S.Passiflora incarnata L.: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials.J Ethnopharmacol. 2013;150(3):791-804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047Paoletti A, Gallo E, Benemei S, et al.Interactions between Natural Health Products and Oral Anticoagulants: Spontaneous Reports in the Italian Surveillance System of Natural Health Products.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:612150. doi:10.1155/2011/612150Azimaraghi O, Yousefshahi F, Khatavi F, et al.Both oral passiflora incarnata and oxazepam can reduce pre-operative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2017;10(8):331. doi:https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i8.18852

11 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Passionflower.Yeung KS, Hernandez M, Mao JJ, et al.Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance.Phytother Res. 2018;32(5):865-891. doi:10.1002/ptr.6033Elsas SM, Rossi DJ, Raber J, et al.Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method.Phytomedicine. 2010;17(12):940-949. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.002Janda K, Wojtkowska K, Jakubczyk K, et al.Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders-A systematic review.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3894. doi:10.3390/nu12123894Dantas LP, de Oliveira-Ribeiro A, de Almeida-Souza LM, Groppo FC.Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2017;22(1):e95-e101. doi:10.4317/medoral.21140da Cunha RS, Amorim KS, Gercina AC, et al.Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig. 2021;25(3):1579-1586. doi:10.1007/s00784-020-03468-1Lee J, Jung HY, Lee SI, et al.Effects of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2020;35(1):29-35. doi:10.1097/YIC.0000000000000291Anheyer D, Lauche R, Schumann D, Dobos G, Cramer H.Herbal medicines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review.Complement Ther Med. 2017;30:14-23. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.11.004Miroddi M, Calapai G, Navarra M, Minciullo PL, Gangemi S.Passiflora incarnata L.: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials.J Ethnopharmacol. 2013;150(3):791-804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047Paoletti A, Gallo E, Benemei S, et al.Interactions between Natural Health Products and Oral Anticoagulants: Spontaneous Reports in the Italian Surveillance System of Natural Health Products.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:612150. doi:10.1155/2011/612150Azimaraghi O, Yousefshahi F, Khatavi F, et al.Both oral passiflora incarnata and oxazepam can reduce pre-operative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2017;10(8):331. doi:https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i8.18852

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Passionflower.Yeung KS, Hernandez M, Mao JJ, et al.Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance.Phytother Res. 2018;32(5):865-891. doi:10.1002/ptr.6033Elsas SM, Rossi DJ, Raber J, et al.Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method.Phytomedicine. 2010;17(12):940-949. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.002Janda K, Wojtkowska K, Jakubczyk K, et al.Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders-A systematic review.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3894. doi:10.3390/nu12123894Dantas LP, de Oliveira-Ribeiro A, de Almeida-Souza LM, Groppo FC.Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2017;22(1):e95-e101. doi:10.4317/medoral.21140da Cunha RS, Amorim KS, Gercina AC, et al.Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig. 2021;25(3):1579-1586. doi:10.1007/s00784-020-03468-1Lee J, Jung HY, Lee SI, et al.Effects of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2020;35(1):29-35. doi:10.1097/YIC.0000000000000291Anheyer D, Lauche R, Schumann D, Dobos G, Cramer H.Herbal medicines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review.Complement Ther Med. 2017;30:14-23. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.11.004Miroddi M, Calapai G, Navarra M, Minciullo PL, Gangemi S.Passiflora incarnata L.: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials.J Ethnopharmacol. 2013;150(3):791-804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047Paoletti A, Gallo E, Benemei S, et al.Interactions between Natural Health Products and Oral Anticoagulants: Spontaneous Reports in the Italian Surveillance System of Natural Health Products.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:612150. doi:10.1155/2011/612150Azimaraghi O, Yousefshahi F, Khatavi F, et al.Both oral passiflora incarnata and oxazepam can reduce pre-operative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2017;10(8):331. doi:https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i8.18852

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Passionflower.

Yeung KS, Hernandez M, Mao JJ, et al.Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance.Phytother Res. 2018;32(5):865-891. doi:10.1002/ptr.6033

Elsas SM, Rossi DJ, Raber J, et al.Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method.Phytomedicine. 2010;17(12):940-949. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.002

Janda K, Wojtkowska K, Jakubczyk K, et al.Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders-A systematic review.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3894. doi:10.3390/nu12123894

Dantas LP, de Oliveira-Ribeiro A, de Almeida-Souza LM, Groppo FC.Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2017;22(1):e95-e101. doi:10.4317/medoral.21140

da Cunha RS, Amorim KS, Gercina AC, et al.Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig. 2021;25(3):1579-1586. doi:10.1007/s00784-020-03468-1

Lee J, Jung HY, Lee SI, et al.Effects of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study.Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2020;35(1):29-35. doi:10.1097/YIC.0000000000000291

Anheyer D, Lauche R, Schumann D, Dobos G, Cramer H.Herbal medicines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review.Complement Ther Med. 2017;30:14-23. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.11.004

Miroddi M, Calapai G, Navarra M, Minciullo PL, Gangemi S.Passiflora incarnata L.: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials.J Ethnopharmacol. 2013;150(3):791-804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047

Paoletti A, Gallo E, Benemei S, et al.Interactions between Natural Health Products and Oral Anticoagulants: Spontaneous Reports in the Italian Surveillance System of Natural Health Products.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:612150. doi:10.1155/2011/612150

Azimaraghi O, Yousefshahi F, Khatavi F, et al.Both oral passiflora incarnata and oxazepam can reduce pre-operative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2017;10(8):331. doi:https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i8.18852

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