Passionflower
Also known as: Passiflora incarnata, passiflora
Randomised trials and systematic reviews indicate passionflower preparations can reduce anxiety compared with placebo and show similar effects to oxazepam in small trials; a short-term trial of passionflower tea reported improved subjective sleep quality. Adverse effects were not prominent in the cited studies.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14 · 5 indexed studies
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Overview
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a traditional herbal remedy used for anxiety and sleep disturbances. Clinical trials and systematic reviews report short-term reductions in anxiety and some improvements in subjective sleep quality with oral preparations such as tea or extracts.
Mechanism & Function
Mechanism of Action
Clinical abstracts describe anxiolytic and sedative effects but do not report detailed mechanisms in the provided texts; traditional explanations and preclinical work propose central nervous system activity, but specific pathways are not described in the included abstracts.
Physiological Role
Not specified in the provided clinical abstracts beyond reported neuropsychiatric effects (anxiolytic, sedative).
Primary Pathways
Performance / Health Relevance
May modestly reduce anxiety and improve subjective sleep quality, which could indirectly benefit cognitive performance and daily functioning in people with mild-to-moderate symptoms.
Evidence Review
Practical Use & Dosage
- Minimum Effective Dose
- Traditional tea: one cup daily (as used in a 7-day trial); standardised extract: 45 drops/day (used in a 4-week trial)
- Optimal Range
- Not established from the provided abstracts
- Upper / Caution Level
- Not established from the provided abstracts
- Timing
- Used daily in the cited trials; one-week to four-week durations were studied
- Best Format
- Oral tea or liquid extract as used in trials
- Bioavailability
- Not reported in the provided abstracts
- Absorption Considerations
- Not reported in the provided abstracts
Safety & Interactions
Side Effects
- •Drowsiness reported less than with benzodiazepine in one review; no major adverse effects reported in cited abstracts
Contraindications
- Not specified in provided abstracts
Drug Interactions
- •Not specified in provided abstracts; caution likely with other sedatives but this was not detailed in the abstracts
Who Should Avoid
- •Not specified in provided abstracts; standard caution in pregnancy, breastfeeding and with sedative medications should be considered though not detailed here
Monitoring
Monitor for excessive sedation if combined with other central nervous system depressants; no specific monitoring reported in abstracts
Frequently Asked Questions
Auto-generated from indexed evidence — dosage, safety, interactions, and more.
When is Passionflower typically used or indicated?
Passionflower is most commonly used for: Anxiety relief, Sleep support, Mild stress reduction. Not specified in the provided clinical abstracts beyond reported neuropsychiatric effects (anxiolytic, sedative).
How does Passionflower work?
Clinical abstracts describe anxiolytic and sedative effects but do not report detailed mechanisms in the provided texts; traditional explanations and preclinical work propose central nervous system activity, but specific pathways are not described in the included abstracts.
What is the recommended dose of Passionflower?
The optimal range is Not established from the provided abstracts. with a minimum effective dose of Traditional tea: one cup daily (as used in a 7-day trial); standardised extract: 45 drops/day (used in a 4-week trial). Best taken: Used daily in the cited trials; one-week to four-week durations were studied. Upper / caution level: Not established from the provided abstracts.
What are the side effects of Passionflower?
Reported side effects include: Drowsiness reported less than with benzodiazepine in one review; no major adverse effects reported in cited abstracts. Monitoring: Monitor for excessive sedation if combined with other central nervous system depressants; no specific monitoring reported in abstracts
Does Passionflower interact with medications?
Known or theoretical interactions: Not specified in provided abstracts; caution likely with other sedatives but this was not detailed in the abstracts. Always check with a clinician before combining with prescription medication.
Who should avoid Passionflower?
Passionflower is generally not recommended for: Not specified in provided abstracts; standard caution in pregnancy, breastfeeding and with sedative medications should be considered though not detailed here; and Not specified in provided abstracts.
How strong is the evidence for Passionflower?
Evidence level: Moderate (overall score 68/100), based on 5 indexed studies on SuppIndex.
Research & References (5)
Passiflora incarnata in Neuropsychiatric Disorders-A Systematic Review.
Systematic review of nine randomized clinical trials of Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders up to Oct 2019.
Herbal medicines in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: 10-year updated review.
10-year updated review of herbal medicines in psychiatric disorders noting evidence for Passiflora spp. for anxiety disorders.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality.
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of Passiflora incarnata herbal tea in healthy adults assessing subjective sleep quality and polysomnography in a subset.
Passiflora for anxiety disorder.
Meta-analysis addressing passiflora for anxiety disorders, including two trials with 198 participants.
Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam.
Double-blind RCT comparing Passiflora incarnata extract (45 drops/day) with oxazepam (30 mg/day) in 36 outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder over 4 weeks.
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Research Overview
Moderate EvidenceCite this ingredient
One-click citation export in APA, MLA, Chicago, BibTeX, or HTML. The URL below is stable and safe to link.
Stable URL
https://thesuppindex.com/ingredients/passionflower
SuppIndex. (2026). Passionflower: Evidence summary, dosage and clinical studies. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://thesuppindex.com/ingredients/passionflower
Based on 5 indexed studies · Evidence level: Moderate.
Goal Ratings
Stack Compatibility
Compatibility with other anxiolytic or sedative agents not studied in the provided abstracts