Remedy · herb
Passionflower
Also: Passiflora incarnata
A calming plant with small-trial support for anxiety and, more weakly, sleep.
Evidence by condition
Each grade reflects the research for Passionflower and that condition specifically.
- CAnxiety & stress
Small RCTs suggest reduced anxiety — comparable to low-dose oxazepam in one GAD trial, and less pre-operative anxiety — but trials are few, small, and short.
2 citation s
- Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam Randomized trial 2001 · n=36 · Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics · PMID 11679026 · DOI 10.1046/j.1365-2710.2001.00367.x
- Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study Randomized trial 2008 · n=60 · Anesthesia & Analgesia · PMID 18499602 · DOI 10.1213/ane.0b013e318172c3f9
- Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam
- CInsomnia
Small trials show modest short-term sleep benefit (slightly more total sleep time, better self-rated quality), with most objective measures no better than placebo.
2 citation s
- Effects of Passiflora incarnata on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study Randomized trial 2020 · n=110 · International Clinical Psychopharmacology · PMID 31714321 · DOI 10.1097/YIC.0000000000000291
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality Randomized trial 2011 · n=41 · Phytotherapy Research · PMID 21294203 · DOI 10.1002/ptr.3400
- Effects of Passiflora incarnata on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study
Passionflower is a gentle, well-tolerated calming herb. The evidence is modest — small, short trials for anxiety and weaker ones for sleep — so it is a reasonable mild option, not a robust treatment. It can cause drowsiness and should be paused before surgery.