Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a climbing vine traditionally used as a sedative and sold for anxiety, sleep and stress. NCCIH says a small amount of research suggests it might reduce anxiety, but conclusions are not definite.
Also known as: Passiflora incarnata, passiflora, maypop.
NCCIH says passionflower tea may be safe for up to 7 nights and daily extract for up to 8 weeks; studies used different preparations, so we do not list an amount.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.
What studies show, per NCCIH: a small amount of research suggests oral passionflower might reduce anxiety, including anxiety before surgery or dental work, and might improve total sleep time in adults with insomnia, with mixed effects on falling and staying asleep. There is not enough evidence for ADHD, menopause symptoms, fibromyalgia, stress or other uses. A 2007 Cochrane review found only 2 trials (198 people), too few to draw conclusions; one found no difference between passionflower and a benzodiazepine (Miyasaka 2007).
Safety, per NCCIH: possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness and confusion. Taken with anesthesia or other medicines used around surgery, it might slow down the nervous system too much; tell your clinician if you take it within 2 weeks of a planned surgery. It should not be used in pregnancy because it may cause uterine contractions, and little is known about breastfeeding.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for passionflower that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.
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