Numerous
clinical trials have shown Passion Flower to reduce anxiety (rated
on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), as well as an important
therapeutic factor in relieving restlessness, irritability and
insomnia. One of the main constituents of a German sleeping pill
called Vita-Dor, Passion flower has a sedative effect that encourages
restful, uninterrupted, deep sleep. It is also used in the treatment
of hysteric patients caused by nervous exhaustion.
Passion flower also contains naturally occurring serotonin as
well as a chemical called maltol which has documented sedative
effects (and which might explain the natural calming properties
of passionflower). A group of harmane alkaloids in passionflower
have demonstrated antispasmodic activity and the ability to lower
blood pressure. In addition, a flavonoid named chrysin has demonstrated
significant anti-anxiety activity.
In North America, passion flower is often used as an analgesic
and anticonvulsant, with some success noticed in cases of tetanustopical
treatment for burns; and inflammation, bronchial asthma, as a
diuretic, for hemorrhoidal inflammations, an antispasmodic, as
well as a sedative. In Italy, a combination of passion flower,
belladonna, and lobelia is used to treat asthma. In Poland, a
proprietary drug for treating excitability, contains an extract
of passion flower.
Side effects?
Though nontoxic and approved for food use by the FDA, the
presence of uterotoxic alkaloids renders it inappropriate for
use it during pregnancy or the nursing. Large doses are sometimes
used as a mild hallucinogen
Toxicity?
It doesn't be administered to children under
3 years and the quantity given to those until 12 years old should
be proportional to their weight. Equally, with youths and adults
, the doses should not be superior to the recommended ones. The
reason is that passionflowers possess passiflorine and gynocardin,
that are two cyanogenetic components , that is to say able to
produce cyanide in combination with the corporal enzymes. The
intoxications are fundamentally manifested in form of adverse
stomach reactions. Other reactions with higher doses are the narcosis,
or feeling of unconsciousness or drowsiness and the hallucinations
taken place by their alkaloids that can be considered psychotropic
and hallucinogen.
DRUG INTERACTIONS; Possible Interactions
Passion flower should be used with caution in conjunction
with CNS-depressants or stimulants.
Specifically, this herb should not be used at all in conjunction
with the potent CNS-depressant analgesic, methotrimeprazine.
To minimize central nervous system depression and possible synergism,
it would be wise to avoid using passion flower with procarbazine
antineoplastic drugs.
The neuromuscular relaxing action of passion flower may be enhanced
by the use of certain aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as clindamycin.
In the absence of other hard data, it may be assumed that observable
interactions occur between the many central nervous system drugs
and the psychoactive principles in this herb.
Major Pharmacologic effect
The major pharmacological effect of passion flower, first
observed nearly a hundred years ago and consistently reported
ever since, is a sedative property. Early investigators noticed
that the herb worked best when sleeplessness could be traced to
an inflammation of the brain; passion flower appeared to act as
an analgesic and was free from side effects. Later in this century,
investigators discovered that the flavonoid fraction was more
effective. However, other tests showed that the most effective
sedative activity was obtained from a combination of both the
flavonoids and the alkaloids.
Early research indicated that an extract of passion flower was effective against the disturbance of menopause, and as agent against the sleeplessness that occurred during convalescence from the flu. The herb had no side effects, and appeared to induce a normal peaceful sleep. Observations on the day following administration revealed no depression of body or mind, in contrast to the morning-after effects usually experienced with narcotic drugs.
Passion flower is one of the main constituents of a German sleeping pill called Vita-Dor. This product, also containing aprobarbital, valerian root, hops, mellissa, and thiamine, is highly effective in inducing and maintaining sleep throughout the night. A recent Romanian patent was issued for a sedative chewing gum that contains passion flower extract in a base of several vitamins. Many other examples of the widespread application of passion flower in Europe could be cited; however, American recognition of the sedative effects of passion flower has lagged seriously behind.
Some of passion flower's main constituents are the harmine and harman alkaloids (passiflorine, aribine, loturine, yageine, etc.). In man small doses (about 3-6 mg) stimulate the central nervous system, much like coffee and tea (black). In larger doses (15-35 mg), these alkaloids produce a strong motoric restlessness followed by drowsiness. Still larger doses intensify the motoric activity and cause hallucinations, convulsions, and vomiting. Oral doses of 300-400 mg will produce marked psychotic symptoms, replete with hallucinations, followed by pronounced central nervous system depression. Hence, passion flower is sometimes used as a mild hallucinogen. Since large doses of pure harman alkaloids are needed to produce psychoactive symptoms of any merit, use of the whole plant probably has no such observable effect.
Pharmacological investigations in animals indicate that relatively large doses of harman derivatives excite the central nervous system, producing hallucinations and convulsions that appear to be of extrapyramidal origin. These effects do not agree with the properties of the whole plant. Harman alkaloids arrest spasms in smooth muscle, lower the blood pressure, and expand the coronary vessels, effects which have also been observed in whole herb extracts and appear occasionally in the folk literature. A centrally-depressive chemical, a gamma-pyrone derivative called maltol, has been isolated from passion flower and shown to have mild sedative properties in mice; maltol could offset the stimulant properties of harman alkaloids, but it is unlikely that it account for all sedative effects observed in humans.
Presently, the active principle in passion flower remains unknown. It has been verified that the herb's alkaloid fraction is sedative, the flavonoid fraction (also containing some harman) is active, and a combination of the two is most active.