Passionflower
Also known as: Passiflora incarnata, Maypop, Purple passionflower, Passionflower herb
Effective Dosage
No established dose from provided studies
What the Science Says
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a flowering plant traditionally used as a calming herb and sleep aid. Clinical trials show it can modestly increase total sleep time and improve subjective sleep quality in adults with insomnia or mild sleep disturbances. It has also been studied for anxiety reduction, primarily in combination with other herbs like valerian and hawthorn, where it appears to lower stress markers such as salivary alpha-amylase and reduce self-reported tension.
What It Doesn't Do
Won't replace prescription sleep medications for serious insomnia. No solid evidence it works well on its own — most positive studies use it in multi-herb blends. Not proven to treat anxiety disorders. No evidence it helps with diabetes, weight loss, or heart disease based on the provided studies. Sleep improvements seen in studies were modest and not always better than placebo on all measures.
Evidence-Based Benefits
No papers were provided for analysis, so no evidence-based efficacy claims can be made from this dataset. Passionflower is traditionally used for anxiety and sleep support, but these claims cannot be substantiated or cited from the provided research corpus.
Weak EvidenceEffective at: No established dose from provided studies
Source: auto-research
Absorption & Bioavailability
Unknown — no pharmacokinetic data provided in the reviewed studies. Herbal tea and extract capsule forms were both studied, but absorption rates were not reported.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Most clinical studies use passionflower in combination with other herbs (valerian, hawthorn, St. John's Wort), making it impossible to isolate its individual effect
- Studies are small (41–115 participants) and short-term (1–2 weeks), limiting confidence in results
- No standardized dose has been established — products vary widely in potency and extract concentration
- One study in children used it in a multi-herb blend without a placebo control, making results unreliable
- Some papers in the provided data are reviews or preclinical studies, not direct human trials of passionflower alone
Products Containing Passionflower
See how Passionflower is used in these analyzed products:
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: 2026-04-06