Last verified: 17 days ago
Passionflower
Also known as: Passiflora incarnata, maypop, passion vine, purple passionflower
Evidence under review. — Not yet rated
Traditional herb with early evidence for mild sleep improvement and anxiety relief. Most studies are small or use combinations.
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What it does
Passionflower is a flowering plant long used in traditional medicine as a calming herb. Small clinical trials suggest it may modestly improve total sleep time and subjective sleep quality in...
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Evidence quality
Evidence base hasn't been formally rated yet. See research below.
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Clinical dose
No established dose from provided studies
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Found in
The Absorption Company Energy, Juna Nightcap Sleep Gummies, Lemme Chill Ashwagandha Gummies and 2 more
What the Science Says
Passionflower is a flowering plant long used in traditional medicine as a calming herb. Small clinical trials suggest it may modestly improve total sleep time and subjective sleep quality in adults with insomnia or mild sleep disturbances. It is also studied as part of multi-herb combinations for reducing anxiety symptoms, though isolating its specific contribution is difficult in those studies.
What It Doesn't Do
Not proven to replace prescription sleep aids or anxiety medications. No strong evidence it works as a standalone anxiety treatment. No solid clinical evidence for blood sugar control — that research used passion fruit albedo (the fruit rind), not the flower extract. Claims about hormone balance or testosterone are based on a compound called chrysin found in passionflower, but chrysin has poor bioavailability and no human clinical evidence for those effects.
Evidence-Based Benefits
May modestly improve subjective sleep quality and total sleep time in adults with insomnia.
Weak EvidenceEffective at: No established dose from provided studies
Supporting studies (click to view on PubMed):
As part of a multi-herb formula, may reduce tension and anxiety in healthy adults under stress.
Weak EvidenceEffective at: No established dose from provided studies
Supporting studies (click to view on PubMed):
Absorption & Bioavailability
Unknown — no pharmacokinetic data provided in the available studies. Chrysin, a flavonoid found in passionflower, is noted in related papers to have poor oral bioavailability and rapid metabolism.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Most positive clinical evidence comes from combination herbal products, making it impossible to confirm passionflower alone is responsible for benefits.
- The sleep study showing improved total sleep time had a borderline p-value (p=0.049) and a small effect size — results may not be clinically meaningful.
- Chrysin-related claims (testosterone, hormone balance) are based on preclinical animal studies and have no human clinical backing from the provided evidence.
- No standardized extract dose has been established across studies, making it hard to know what dose in a supplement product actually does anything.
- Children's use data comes from an observational study without a placebo control — results should be interpreted with caution.
Products Containing Passionflower
See how Passionflower is used in these analyzed products:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Passionflower do?
Traditional herb with early evidence for mild sleep improvement and anxiety relief. Most studies are small or use combinations.
What is the effective dose of Passionflower?
No established dose from provided studies
Is Passionflower safe?
Most positive clinical evidence comes from combination herbal products, making it impossible to confirm passionflower alone is responsible for benefits.
What doesn't Passionflower do?
Not proven to replace prescription sleep aids or anxiety medications.
Research Sources
- PubMed
- NIH DSLD
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen. Last updated: 2026-05-25