Overview

Passionflower is a flowering plant called Passiflora incarnata that is available as a tea and dietary supplement. It is commonly used to help with sleep and certain forms of anxiety. It may also be used for other reasons, but its benefits for those uses are not well defined. Common side effects may include dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion. Before taking passionflower, make sure to tell your health care provider about any upcoming surgeries or health conditions you have and medicines you are taking.

Uses

What is passionflower used for?

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is often used for trouble sleeping (insomnia) and certain types of anxiety, including anxiety before a medical procedure.

Passionflower is also used for many other reasons, although its benefits for these uses are not well defined. Some common reasons that people use passionflower include the following.

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Nerve pain (neuropathy)
• To help manage stress

Note: The FDA has not reviewed passionflower for safety and effectiveness. Learn more about dietary supplements here.

How does passionflower work (mechanism of action)?

Passionflower is a flowering vine called Passiflora incarnata. Dietary supplements that contain passionflower are made from its flowers. Passionflower contains chemicals that can bind to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in your brain. By binding to GABA receptors, passionflower may help reduce anxiety and increase drowsiness.

Some research shows that passionflower may help reduce anxiety before a medical procedure or surgery. But it may interact with some of the medicines used during surgery, so it is important to speak to your health care provider before taking passionflower for this type of anxiety.

There is also interest in using passionflower for more chronic forms of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder. However, its benefits for these uses are not well defined. If you are having persistent anxiety, do not try to treat these symptoms on your own. Talk to your health care provider about your treatment options.

Passionflower can cause people to feel drowsy, so it is sometimes used to help improve sleep. For some people, it may increase the amount of time spent sleeping at night. But it is not clear if passionflower can help people who have insomnia fall asleep faster.

Herbal products, such as passionflower, naturally contain many different chemicals. The amounts of each chemical in a specific passionflower product may vary. Some, none, or all of these chemicals may have effects on the body. These effects may change depending on how much of each chemical is found in the product you are using.

How should I store passionflower?

You should store passionflower according to the product label. Most dietary supplements should be kept in a cool, dry location that is out of the reach of children and pets and not in direct sunlight.

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of passionflower?

The most common side effects of passionflower are listed below. These side effects may vary depending on the dose you are taking or the specific product you are using. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.

• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness

There may be other side effects of passionflower that are not listed here. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a supplement. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or by calling 888-SAFEFOOD (888-723-3366). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of passionflower?

While less common, the most serious side effects of passionflower are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Passionflower may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop using passionflower and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

• Breathing problems or wheezing
• Racing heart
• Fever or general ill feeling
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
• Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
• Itching or skin rash
• Bumps on the skin called hives that can be red, pink, white, or brown depending on your skin tone
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
• Stomach cramps
• Joint pain

Precautions

Who should not use passionflower?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not use passionflower.

• Maypop
• Passiflora incarnata
• Passionflower
• Any of the ingredients in the specific product

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific passionflower products they stock.

What should I know about passionflower before using it?

Passionflower is a dietary supplement. It cannot be marketed to treat or cure a disease.

Read and follow the directions on the specific product you are using, or use it as recommended by your health care provider.

Keep passionflower out of the reach of children.

Passionflower may affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do other activities that require alertness or coordination until you know how passionflower affects you.

Herbal products, such as passionflower, naturally contain many different chemicals. The amount of each chemical in a specific passionflower product can change for many reasons, including the area where the plant was grown, the weather during growth, the time of year when it was harvested, and the way that the plant was processed after it was harvested. If you switch to a new bottle or a different brand, you may not have the same effects or side effects because of this variability. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.

Passionflower is available in many different forms, including as a tea, liquid extract, dried ground powder, or capsule. Each of these forms may contain different amounts of the chemicals that are naturally found in the plant.

If you are taking a liquid passionflower product, use an accurate measuring device to measure your dose. A household spoon is not an accurate measuring device and may cause you to take the wrong amount. Ask your pharmacist which measuring device to use.

The FDA has not tested passionflower products to confirm that they contain the ingredients stated on their labels. Some dietary supplements have been tested by third-party organizations to confirm that they contain the ingredients listed on their labels and do not contain any harmful chemicals. Learn more about how to choose a safe dietary supplement product here.

What should I tell my health care provider before using passionflower?

Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them know if passionflower is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Current and Past Health Conditions.Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following.

• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Upcoming surgery or medical procedure

Other Medicines and Supplements.Passionflower may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before taking passionflower, tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.

Pregnancy. Passionflower may cause harm to a fetus or complications during delivery. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Breastfeeding. It is not known if passionflower passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Interactions

Does passionflower interact with foods or drinks?

There are no known interactions between passionflower and foods or drinks.

It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect passionflower, but drinking alcohol while taking passionflower may increase your risk of dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion.

Does passionflower interact with medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before taking passionflower.

• Any medicine that causes dizziness and sleepiness, such as prescription pain medicines, sleep medicines, or medicines for anxiety
• A barbiturate, such as butalbital, phenobarbital, or primidone, which is a medicine that may be used to treat insomnia, migraines, or seizures
• A benzodiazepine, such as clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium and others), or lorazepam (Ativan and others), which is a medicine used for anxiety, muscle spasms, or seizures
• A muscle relaxant, such as carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone, or tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• An opioid, such as codeine, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, or tramadol, which is a medicine used to treat certain types of pain

The interactions between passionflower and medicines are not fully understood. As with most dietary supplements, the research on drug interactions with passionflower is incomplete. Always check with your health care provider before taking passionflower with any medicines.

Dosing

What should I do if I accidentally use too much passionflower?

If you or someone else has used too much passionflower, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

Read the product label closely and speak to a health care provider about how to take passionflower safely. Do not take double or extra doses, even if you miss a dose.