Scientific Name Passiflora incarnata Family Passifloraceae Other Common Names: Apricot Vine, Burucuya,  Corona de Cristo, Fleischfarbene, Fleur de la Passion, Fleur de  Passiflore, Flor de Passion, Granadilla, Grandilla,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                          

Passion flower is a perennial,  climbing vine with woody stems, white and purple flowers, and fruit. Its  name was given by Spanish explorers to symbolize the Passion of Christ (11, 17374, 88195, 88200). It is native to the southeastern United States and Central and South America and has traditionally been used as a sedative (88199, 95038).  In 1978, the FDA withdrew approval for passion flower to be used in  over-the-counter sleep aids due to lack of submitted evidence (11).                                 

Likely Safe when  used orally as a flavoring in foods. The US Food and Drug Administration  (FDA) lists passion flower as a permitted food flavoring additive, to  be used in the minimum quantity necessary (91203).                                                             

Possibly Safe when  used orally and appropriately in medicinal amounts, short-term. Passion  flower extract has been used with apparent safety at doses up to 800 mg  daily for up to 8 weeks (88198, 102866).  A specific passion flower extract (Pasipay, Iran Darouk Pharmaceutical  Company) has been safely used at a dose of 45 drops daily for up to one  month (8007, 95036).  Also, a tea prepared by steeping 2 grams of the dried aerial parts of  passion flower in 250 mL of boiling water for 10 minutes has been used  nightly for 7 nights (17374).                                                             

There is  insufficient reliable information available about the safety of passion  flower when used topically.                                                             

CHILDREN:  Possibly Safe when  used orally and appropriately, short-term. A specific passion flower  product (Pasipay, Iran Darouk Pharmaceutical Company) has been used  safely in children aged 6-13 years at a dose of 0.04 mg/ kg daily for 8  weeks (88197).                                                             

PREGNANCY:  Possibly Unsafe when  used orally. Some case reports suggest that passion flower use during  the first and second trimesters of pregnancy may be associated with an  increased risk for premature rupture of membranes and meconium  aspiration syndrome; however, causality has not been confirmed (97279).  The alkaloids harman and harmaline, which are sometimes found in  passion flower, have been reported to have uterine stimulant activity (4, 11020, 95037). It is not known whether these constituents are present in sufficient quantities to have an effect.                                                             

LACTATION: Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.                                                             

Orally, passion flower is well tolerated.

Orally: Confusion, dizziness, hypersensitivity, and sedation.

Oral passion flower has a long history of use as a sedative and may improve symptoms of anxiety in some patients.

Moderate-sized  clinical studies suggest that oral passion flower may modestly improve  total sleep time in patients with insomnia; however, its effects on  sleep latency and maintenance are mixed.

Oral passion flower modestly reduces preoperative anxiety.

                                                                   Insufficient Reliable Evidence to Rate                                                                       

Oral passion flower has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.

Oral passion flower has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.

It is unclear if oral passion flower is beneficial in patients with ADHD.

It is unclear if oral passion flower is beneficial for benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Oral passion flower has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.

Although  there is interest in using oral passion flower for fibromyalgia, there  is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of  passion flower for this condition.

Although  there is interest in using oral passion flower for menopausal symptoms,  there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects  of passion flower for this purpose.

Although  there is interest in using oral passion flower for muscle cramps, there  is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of  passion flower for this purpose.

Although  there is interest in using oral passion flower for neuropathic pain,  there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of  passion flower for this condition.

It is unclear if oral passion flower helps to prevent opioid withdrawal.

Although  there is interest in using oral passion flower for seizures, there is  insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of passion  flower for this condition.

It is unclear if oral passion flower reduces stress.

   More evidence is needed to rate passion flower for these uses.

Although commercial passion flower extracts usually provide about 250-900 mg per dose (102866), research is limited and typical dosing is unavailable.

Research is limited; typical dosing is unavailable.

The  European Pharmacopeia states that passion flower for medicinal use  consists of the fragmented or cut and dried aerial parts, which contain  not less than 1.5% of total flavonoids expressed as vitexin (9).

  Interaction Rating Moderate Be cautious with this combination.     Severity HIGH   Occurrence POSSIBLE   Level of Evidence D (Theoretical based on pharmacology) .   Concomitant use of passion flower with sedative drugs might cause additive effects and side effects.

  Interaction Rating Minor Be watchful with this combination.     Severity INSIGNIFICANT   Occurrence POSSIBLE   Level of Evidence                                                                                 D (In vitro or animal study)    Theoretically, passion flower might decrease the effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

  Interaction Rating Minor Be watchful with this combination.     Severity MILD   Occurrence POSSIBLE   Level of Evidence D (In vitro or animal study)    

Theoretically, passion flower might reduce the bioavailability of OATP2B1 and OATP1A2 substrates.

Passion flower seems to have sedative effects.

 None known.                                                                                                 

There is insufficient reliable information available about the presentation or treatment of overdose with passion flower.

There is insufficient reliable information available regarding the pharmacokinetics of passion flower.

The applicable parts of passion flower are the above ground parts (88195).  Passion flower contains flavonoids including vitexin, isovitexin,  orientin, isoorientin, apigenin, quercetin, vicenin, lucenin, saponarin,  swertisin, schaftoside, and kaempferol (88199, 88200, 95036). It also contains the indole alkaloids harman, harmol, harmin, harmalol, and harmalin (8811, 9558, 15339, 88199, 88200).  Other constituents include glycosides, carbohydrates, amino acids,  benzopyrones, chrysin, and pyrone derivatives such as maltol and ethyl  maltol (88200, 95036).  Fatty acids, as well as phenolic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, oleic,  and myristic acids are also present, along with essential oils (88199). Experts do not agree about whether passion flower contains the cyanogenic glycoside gynocardine (9558).

In an  animal model, administering passion flower extract before induction of  stress improves spatial learning and memory and decreases anxiety-like  behaviors, possibly due to neuroprotection related to antioxidant and  anti-inflammatory properties (117442).

In  vitro studies suggest that passion flower decreases intracellular  glutathione concentrations. Though it is theorized that the decreased  glutathione levels may be due to inhibition of gamma-glutamyl  transferase, further investigation found that passion flower actually  increases the activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase. The mechanism of  intracellular glutathione inhibition by passion flower remains unclear (110704).

Sedative, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant activity have been reported with passion flower extracts in animals (8811, 9558, 19235, 68298, 68309, 88199, 91205).  Data suggest that passion flower and its flavonoid constituents inhibit  uptake of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) into neuronal synapses, and  have affinity for GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors (88199, 91204, 115913).  Some studies report that the anxiolytic and anticonvulsant activity of  passion flower is similar to that of benzodiazepines and can be  antagonized by flumazenil. This suggests that it binds to the  benzodiazepine site on GABA(A) receptors (68298, 91205, 95037), although some studies suggest it binds to the GABA site on GABA(A), rather than the benzodiazepine site (88199, 91204). The constituents thought to be responsible for these effects are isovitexin, benzoflavone, chrysin, and/or maltol (95036).  One animal study shows that intraperitoneal administration of higher  doses of passion flower extract (Sintocalmy) containing isovitexin and  vitexin seem to attenuate withdrawal behavior in morphine-dependent mice  given naloxone when compared with saline. Theoretically, this occurs  due to the modulation of GABA receptors by passion flower extract  constituents (105094).

Some  animal data suggests that the constituent maltol can cause CNS  depression, reduce spontaneous motor activity, and prolong  barbiturate-induced sleep time. Very high doses also seem to have  anticonvulsant activity in animal models. Ethyl maltol has similar  activity, but appears to have more potent anticonvulsant activity and  less potent effects on motor activity (15339). Overall, ethyl maltol appears to be less toxic than maltol when used in toxic doses (15340). However, it is unlikely that there is enough maltol in passion flower supplements to cause these effects in humans.

The  indole alkaloids harman, harmin, harmalin, harmol, and harmalol  reportedly have monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) properties, although  they are present in only small amounts in passion flower extracts (4002, 88199, 95037).  Due to the small amounts of these indole alkaloids in passion flower,  the sedative effects of maltol and ethyl maltol might mask these effects  (15339).

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) Inducers, Sedative-Hypnotic Agents  

See Monograph References  

Literature Review Current Through: 2/13/2026, Last Updated: 7/5/2026

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