All passionflowers, Latin passiflora, belong to the large plant family of the passionflower family, most of which are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America. The climbing plants not only enchant with their exceptionally beautiful flowers, some species also produce edible fruits, while a certain passion flower, which is also cultivated as an ornamental plant, has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. In this country, the natural remedy is available under the name “passionflower herb”.
What is passion flower used for and what ingredients does it have?
Passion flower herb comes from the plant species Passiflora incarnata and is traditionally used to treat nervousness, sleep disorders and restlessness. The ingredients include flavonoids, coumarins, amino acids and essential oils. Possible applications include tea, liquid and dry extracts as well as tablets and capsules.
Passion flower herb always comes from Passiflora incarnata
Contrary to the information that can be found incorrectly on some websites and packages, passion flower herb cannot be obtained from all Passiflora species. Passion flowers are by no means one type of flower, but rather a large family with over 500 very different species. Under no circumstances should you try a tea made from your local passionflower, as some passiflora are poisonous. Eating them can cause unpleasant or painful physical reactions. The passionflower herb always comes from the species Passiflora incarnata, the flesh-colored passionflower. The plant is native to the southeastern United States and also produces edible fruits. In 2011, Passiflora incarnata was chosen “Medicinal Plant of the Year”.
Effects and traditional areas of application
P. incarnata has been used by the indigenous people of North America for thousands of years as both a food and a medicinal plant, as various archaeological finds and reports from European conquerors from the 16th and 17th centuries have proven. Not only the slightly sour-tasting fruits were eaten, but also the young leaves and shoots. The indigenous people, however, used the roots rather than the herb as a remedy. The traditional areas of application were quite extensive, although today's possible uses are almost exclusively limited to the naturopathic treatment of nervousness, sleep disorders and nervous restlessness. Although the use of passion flower has been documented for many millennia, modern scientific, clinical studies that prove the effectiveness of the remedy are missing.
Ingredients
Passion flower herb contains many ingredients, including
- Flavonoids such as isovitexin and isoorientin
- Cumarines and coumarin derivatives (umbelliferone and scopolentin)
- essential amino acids
- Essential oils
Passionflower herb also repeatedly makes the headlines due to contamination by aflatoxins.
Application of passionflower herb
Passion flower herb can be used either as a tea or infusion, in the form of liquid or dry extracts and as tablets or capsules. Finished medical products rarely contain only passionflower herb, but usually mixtures. In particular, combinations with St. John's wort, valerian, hops or lemon balm have proven to be useful, as Passiflorae herba can often complement or even enhance their effects.
Prepare tea from passionflower herb
For an infusion of dried passionflower herb, you need a teaspoon of finely chopped Passiflorae herba, which you first pour boiling water over, let it steep for about 10 minutes and then strain through a tea strainer. For a better taste, the tea can be sweetened with a little honey. Drink either two to a maximum of three cups throughout the day or, if you have trouble falling asleep, one to two cups directly before falling asleep. The well-dried passion flower herb should be stored in a cool, dark place and used within three to a maximum of six months.
Side effects and contraindications
Side effects or interactions are not yet known, at least for the pure infusion of Passiflorae herba. Of course, things look different with the various combination preparations and high-dose extracts. High doses of Passiflorae herba can cause the opposite of what it was actually taken against and lead to sleep disorders, increased sweating, headaches, etc. Because combination medications reinforce each other, they can cause drowsiness, dizziness and a drop in blood pressure. For this reason, with some medications it is recommended that you avoid driving or operating machines after taking them. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are generally advised not to use it due to a lack of studies.
Tips & Tricks
If you care for a Passiflora incarnata yourself at home, you can of course extract the passion flower herb yourself for a calming tea. To do this, cut off young shoots and leaves of the plant and dry them carefully. Please be aware, however, that precise information about the ingredients of Passiflora incarnata and its dried herb cannot be given and also depends on care.
