Passion flower – Medicinal uses
Passion flower has
been used to treat sleep disorders and historically in homeopathic medicine to
treat pain, insomnia related to neurasthenia or hysteria, and nervous
exhaustion. Passion flower is a known uterine stimulant. The flowers of
Passiflora have 5 petals, sepals, and stamens, 3 stigmas, and a crown of
filaments.
The fruit is egg-shaped, has a pulpy consistency, and includes many
small seeds. The passion flower was discovered in 1569 by Spanish
explorers in Peru, who saw the flowers as symbolic of the passion of Christ
and, therefore, a sign of Christ's approval of their efforts. This is the
origin of the scientific and common names. Passion flower has been used in
homeopathic medicine to treat pain, insomnia related to neurasthenia or
hysteria, and nervous exhaustion.
Other indications have included bronchial
disorders (particularly asthma), compresses for burns, inflammation, inflamed
hemorrhoids, climacteric complaints, pediatric attention disorders, and
pediatric nervousness and excitability.
Passion flower include
flavonoids, maltol, cyanogenic
glycosides, and harman indole alkaloids. Passion flower's ability to reduce
anxiety makes it useful for asthma, palpitations, and other cardiac rhythm
abnormalities, high blood pressure, insomnia, neurosis, nervousness, pain. Use
of passion flower is contraindicated during pregnancy because of the uterine
stimulant action of its alkaloids harman and harmaline, and the content of the
cyanogenic glycoside gynocardin.