Description

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) is a climbing vine with white and purple flowers. The chemicals in passion flower have calming effects.

Passion flower is native to the southeastern United States and Central and South America. It’s been traditionally used to help with sleep.

People use passion flower for anxiety, including anxiety before surgery. Some people also take passion flower for insomnia, stress, ADHD, pain, and many other conditions. But there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In some foods and beverages, passion flower is added for flavoring.

Possibly Effective for
Anxiety. Taking passion flower by mouth can reduce symptoms of anxiety. It might work as well as some prescription medications.
Anxiety before a procedure. Taking passion flower by mouth can reduce anxiety when taken 30-90 minutes before surgery. In fact, it might work as well as some other treatments for anxiety before surgery, such as melatonin or midazolam. But it might also interact with some anesthesia drugs, so don’t use passion flower before surgery unless recommended by a healthcare provider.
There is interest in using passion flower for a number of other purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.