Herbal Medicine: PASSION FLOWER

Scientific name: Passiflora incarnata

Passion flower is a medicinal plant native to woodlands in the eastern United States, passion flower is know locally as "maypop" and was used by many Native American people for swellings, fungal infections, and as a blood tonic. Today it is generally regarded as a sedative and used for problems ranging from hyperactivity in children tot he tremors of Parkison's disease.

In natural medicine the passion flower used long before the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, passiflora's calming, relaxant qualities are quickly apparent upon taking the herb, and underlie its many uses. Passiflora is most often employed to relieve anxiety and nervousness and to aid sleep, its use in this respect confirmed by clinical trials.

Rarely producing drowsiness, passiflora takes the edge off worry and anxiety, bringing relief to symptoms such as a racing heart and tension headache. A mild analgesic, passiflora can help with migraines and neuralgic pain associated with toothaches, for example.

How to use:

Infusion: 

Drink 1 cup made from equal amount of passion flower and raspberry leaf (1 tps each) twice daily for period of pain.

For insomnia take 1/2 - 1 cup of an infusion made from 1/2 tps of dried passion flower to 1 cup of boiling water infused for 15 minutes, at night. For period pain or tension headaches, take 3 times daily; reduced doses are suitable for hyperactivity in children.

Tincture: 

Take 40 - 80 drops (2 -4 ml) of Passion flower tincture in water 3 times daily for nervous tension, high blood pressure associated with nervous stress, or to reduce the severity of attacks in Meniere's disease.

Fluid extract:

Take up to 40 drops (2 ml) of Passion Flower fluid extract in water twice a day to ease the pain associated with shingles and toothache.

Tablets / capsules:

Take 1-2 x 200 mg tablets or capsules night and morning for anxiety, tension, and nervous headaches.

Caution: May cause drowsiness.