Passiflora incarnata
| Passionflower Passiflora incarnata |
Passionflower - Passiflora incarnata (in the Passifloracea or Passion flower family)
Part used: Flowering herb.
Taste/smell: Bland, slight aromatic scent.
Tendencies: Cooling.
Dosage: Infusion: 2 teaspoons per cup of water; or 1:1 fresh + dry strength liquid extract: 10-40 drops 1-4 times per day.
Mental picture and specific indications: It is indicated for conditions where there is restless agitation and exhaustion with muscular twitching or tendency towards spasms. The tongue is not coated.
Use: (a) Antispasmodic, (b) Hypotensive, (c) Nervine, (d) Sedative, (e) Anti-inflammatory, (f) Cerebral vasorelaxant, (g) Anodyne.
This is a relaxing nervine that relieves cerebral irritation. It is used for heart palpitations and sleep disturbances due to nervousness. The constituents of passionflower are the flavonoids, apigenin and luteolin.
Contraindications: It is contraindicated in pregnancy due to the uterine stimulants, harman and harmoline. Additionally, passionflower contains the cyanogenic glycoside, gynocardin. The constituent, maltol, has a sedative action and increases sleeping time induced by the drug, hexobarbital.