Torture

(Passiflora)

Description

The genus Passionflower, Latin Passiflora, includes more than 500 species of plants found mainly in warm to tropical regions. It is also abundant in the southern USA. Passiflora incarnata is most commonly used in phytotherapy. It is a very decorative, perennial climbing plant with trifoliate leaves and beautiful, 5-7 cm large purple-white flowers. The green or greenish-yellow fruits resemble the shape of an egg. (1) However, other species also have medicinal properties.

History

The Passion Flower was first described and named by the Spanish explorers of America in 1529 and became a symbol of the Passion of Christ (hence its name). The first written reference to the medicinal effects of the plant dates back to 1787, when the German naturalist Schoepf’s Materia Medica Americana mentions its use in epilepsy. In reality, however, its use is probably much older, as it is a traditional medicinal plant of many indigenous cultures, particularly in the USA, Mexico and South America. The fruit is also used in gastronomy, both raw and in jams, for example (1, 16).

Active ingredients

Passionflower contains a variety of biologically active substances, some of which are very unique. For example, we can find a number of flavonoids (vitexin, orientin, apigenin, kaepmferol, quercetin and others) or indole alkaloids such as harman, harmin and harmol), chrysin, benzoflavone (BZF).

However, passion fruit also contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which helps regulate mood. This is because it counteracts the neurotransmitters that cause excitation, so it has a calming effect. Although until recently it was believed that GABA could not cross the barrier between the bloodstream and the brain and therefore was of no use, there are studies that dispute this claim. (2,3)

Some of the substances contained in passionflower also have an epigenetic effect, i.e. they are able to influence the activity of individual genes in DNA.

Healing effects

In traditional medicine, passionflower is used for anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, painful menstruation and other problems. Modern science has confirmed its effectiveness in the following cases in particular:

Anxiety

The GABA content, as well as the fact that some substances from passionflower bind to so-called benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, is probably why passionflower is one of the most effective natural anti-anxiety agents. However, other substances contained in it, such as chrysin or apigenin, also have antixiolytic and sedative effects. Significant relief in anxiety sufferers has been observed in studies after 2-8 weeks of use, with dosages typically around 400 mg of extract or 45 drops of tincture twice a day. (1, 4-6, 9, 11, 21, 29,36)

When passionflower has been compared with benzodiazepine anti-anxiety drugs (which have many side effects and can be addictive), it has been shown to be comparably effective (for example, with oxazepam or diazepam) and may even have slightly better effects in some areas – for example, in improving work performance. It also does not induce drowsiness as much compared to benzodiazepines (13).

In addition, the ability to suppress anxiety has also been demonstrated in two specific cases. The first is anxiety before surgery – in this case, it is recommended to take passionflower 2 weeks before the procedure, but a single use, such as 500 mg of extract or 20 drops of tincture 90 minutes before the actual procedure, is also effective, if circumstances allow.(9) One study has even shown that passionflower can be effective in reducing fear of dental treatment! (12, 30)

After surgery, patients using passionflower have also been reported to have lower rates of confusion and other cognitive problems.(28) On the other hand, passionflower may interfere with the effectiveness of certain types of anaesthesia, so its use should always be discussed with a doctor before surgery.

Passionflower is also suitable for preventive use in periods of acute stress. (32)

Insomnia

One of the most significant positive effects of passionflower is the alleviation of sleep problems, both in terms of better falling asleep and improved sleep quality. Especially in some combinations (valerian, hops), it shows similar effectiveness in this respect to synthetic insomnia drugs (e.g. zolpidem). Ideally, passionflower should be taken an hour before going to bed, either as an extract or as a tea. In studies, the effects were seen after a week of use (14, 15, 31).

ADHD

The significant calming effect of passionflower also finds application in children (and of course adults) suffering from ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In one study, for example, there was a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms in children aged 6-13 years after eight weeks of use (8).

Treatment of addictions

Passionflower can also be a very effective means of facilitating addiction treatment. In one study, for example, researchers administered passionflower to people recovering from opiate addiction. The group of addicts who took passionflower experienced similar reductions in anxiety and other withdrawal symptoms as those taking the drug clonidine (7).

Passionflower has also been shown to alleviate withdrawal symptoms in the treatment of addiction to cannabinoids such as marijuana and hashish. The key to its effectiveness is probably the BZF it contains (1, 17).

Animal experiments even suggest that BZF from passionflower could be effective in treating nicotine and alcohol addiction! (18, 19)

Cramps and pain

Some research has shown that passionflower has anticonvulsant effects, and this applies to both skeletal muscle cramps and menstrual cramps. Because its constituents also bind to opioid receptors, it helps reduce pain at the same time. (10)

Epilepsy

One of the traditional uses of passionflower is in the treatment of epilepsy, and modern research has demonstrated its effectiveness in this regard. These have confirmed that passionflower can reduce the frequency, severity and duration of seizures. It could thus replace, at least in part, treatment with antiepileptic drugs, which have a large number of negative side effects (20).

Sexuality and fertility

Passionflower, especially the BDF contained in it, is also one of the most effective natural remedies to help increase the level of the male sex hormone testosterone. This is because it inhibits the production of the aromatase enzyme, which is necessary for the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. In particular, thanks to this, passionflower not only increases the appetite for sex in men, but also promotes the production and maturation of sperm. However, passionflower can also effectively increase the appetite for sex in women, especially those who are going through or have already gone through menopause. In addition, a positive effect has also been observed in people (of both sexes) whose sexuality has been disturbed by excessive alcohol use or smoking (1, 22-24).

In experiments on mice, the ability of passionflower to act as an aphrodisiac has also been directly observed. (25)

Menstruation

As mentioned above, passionflower is very effective for menstrual pain and cramps (dysmenorrhea). The excessive uterine contractions that cause pain are often caused by increased production of prostaglandins, especially prostaglandin E2, a substance that causes inflammation and irritation of the nerve endings. This then brings with it not only pain but also increased irritation. Passionflower here combines its analgesic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory action and its effectiveness is comparable to that of drugs in the analgesic category. It is also effective in relieving pain and irritation in the days before menstruation.

Menopause

Hot flushes, anxiety, depression, irritability, headaches and backaches, decreased interest in sex or increased risk of osteoporosis – these are symptoms that often appear in women when the ovaries stop working and the level of the female sex hormone estrogen drops significantly. Passion fruit is able to significantly reduce the intensity of most of these symptoms after just three weeks of use (36, 37).

Effect on the respiratory system

So far, only in animals has the anti-asthmatic effect of passionflower been confirmed, as well as its ability to suppress coughing (26, 27). However, due to its ability to prevent the proliferation (i.e. rapid multiplication) of mast cells, it may be beneficial not only in asthma, but also in other types of allergies (44).

Cardiovascular disease

Passionflower stands out for its ability to lower blood pressure (38).

However, it has interesting effects when combined with hawthorn – when researchers administered it to volunteers with cardiovascular problems in a study, after eight weeks they not only experienced a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but also an increase in performance on a bicycle ergometer test (51).

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action

Passion fruit contains flavonoids with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects – for example, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol or luteolin. These help to suppress the production of a number of substances involved in inflammatory processes – for example, prostaglandin E2, COX-2 enzyme or nuclear factor NF-kB – through epigenetic pathways (39-41).

Tumour diseases

Passionflower also exhibits anticancer activity. It effectively prevents proliferation, i.e. the rapid uncontrolled multiplication of cells that is typical for malignant tumours, and also reduces the risk of metastasis. (42) In addition, it is also a useful agent to help cancer patients reduce anxiety, improve sleep and overall quality of life. (43)

Antimicrobial effect

Passionflower is effective against a number of microorganisms. In particular, these are various types of fungi, some bacteria (including golden staphylococcus), and even Heliobacter pylori as the causative agent of gastric ulcers.

Use and contraindications

The safety of taking passionflower has been confirmed when taken for 7 days as a tea or 8 weeks as an extract. However, side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness have been reported in some cases. The usual dosage is 250 – 500 mg of passionflower extract 1-2 times a day, higher doses can only be taken in spurts. Doses from 3.5 g of extract upwards given for more than two days can be dangerous. In children aged 6-13 years, the safety of doses of 0.04 mg of extract per kilogram of body weight for 8 weeks has been confirmed. Passionflower is not suitable in pregnancy as it may cause uterine contractions. Insufficient information is available to confirm the safety of use in breastfeeding. Passionflower should not be combined with sleeping pills as it may cause excessive sleepiness. Caution is also needed with drugs with sedative effects, such as pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Luminal), secobarbital (Seconal), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), zolpidem (Ambien), and others (45-49).

Suitable combinations

The most common combinations of passionflower are with hops or valerian, which are also known to have calming effects and counteract insomnia. It also complements well with Baikal coneflower or quercetin. Other combinations are also possible.

Anxiety: passionflower + bayberry (60), passionflower + kava kava (50), passionflower + guarana (52), passionflower + valerian (53)

Insomnia: passionflower + hops (54), passionflower + valerian

Painful menstruation: passionflower + valerian (33), passionflower + hops (33)

Heart and blood vessels: passionflower + hawthorn (51)

Menopause: passionflower + coneflower, passionflower + genistein Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action: passionflower + quercetin