Last verified: 20 days ago
Passionflower
Also known as: Passiflora incarnata, maypop, passion vine, purple passionflower
Evidence under review. — Not yet rated
Herbal plant with modest evidence for mild anxiety relief and slightly better sleep. Most studies are small or use blends.
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What it does
Passionflower is a climbing vine whose leaves and flowers have been used for centuries as a calming herb. Clinical studies suggest it may modestly improve subjective sleep quality in healthy...
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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
What the Science Says
Passionflower is a climbing vine whose leaves and flowers have been used for centuries as a calming herb. Clinical studies suggest it may modestly improve subjective sleep quality in healthy adults and slightly increase total sleep time in people with insomnia — though the effects are small and not always statistically different from placebo. It is also studied as part of multi-herb blends for reducing anxiety and tension, though isolating passionflower's individual contribution in those studies is difficult.
What It Doesn't Do
Not a proven treatment for clinical anxiety disorders or chronic insomnia on its own. Won't replace prescription sleep aids or anti-anxiety medications. No solid evidence it helps with blood sugar, heart disease, or autism symptoms based on the available clinical data. Most positive results come from combination products — passionflower alone may do very little.
Evidence-Based Benefits
Passionflower is a climbing vine whose leaves and flowers have been used for centuries as a calming herb. Clinical studies suggest it may modestly improve subjective sleep quality in healthy adults and slightly increase total sleep time in people with insomnia — though the effects are small and not always statistically different from placebo. It is also studied as part of multi-herb blends for reducing anxiety and tension, though isolating passionflower's individual contribution in those studies is difficult.
Weak EvidenceEffective at: No established dose from provided studies
Source: auto-research
Absorption & Bioavailability
Unknown — no pharmacokinetic data provided in the available studies
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 know how much passionflower alone contributes
- The largest sleep study (110 participants) showed only a marginal increase in total sleep time and no significant difference from placebo on most other sleep measures
- No standardized extract dose has been established — products vary widely in potency and formulation
- Studies in children used uncontrolled observational designs without placebo comparison, making results unreliable
- Some papers in the provided data discuss chrysin (a compound found in passionflower) only in animal or in vitro models — these findings do not translate directly to human supplementation
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: 2026-05-02