Passionflower
Herb ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Gentle calming herb for anxiety and sleep with fewer side effects than valerian.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Passionflower is a herb most often used for anxiety relief, sleep support, calm without sedation. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate. A typical adult dose is 200-400 mg daily, commonly taken as standardized extract. This profile indexes 19 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating moderate. Most-documented uses: anxiety relief, sleep support, calm without sedation. 19 sources indexed (1990–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Chrysin and other flavonoids bind GABA-A benzodiazepine receptors. Also inhibits MAO and modulates GABA reuptake.11,16
Dosing & protocol.
Can take during the day for anxiety or before bed for sleep16
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Standardized Passionflower Extract.
Assumes 200-400 mg/day. Vendor basis: NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, Life Extension, and Amazon marketplace; liquid and organic herb formats cost more. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Passionfruit is not equivalent to standardized passionflower aerial-part extract.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Rarely nausea
Contraindications
- MAOIs
- Sedatives
- Pregnancy
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
1- 1Passiflora incarnata L. for anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDKim M, Lim HS, Lee HH, Kim TH · J Ethnopharmacol · 2022
Randomized controlled trials
10- 2Effects of Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis in the control of anxiety due to tooth extraction: a randomized controlled clinical trialPMIDVelasquez ACA, Tsuji M, Dos Santos Cordeiro L et al. · Oral Maxillofac Surg · 2024
Triple-blind RCT of 54 patients found both Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis significantly reduced state anxiety scores compared to placebo during third molar extraction.
- 3Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study of Passiflora incarnata in Participants With Stress and Sleep ProblemsSource linkedPMIDKang J, Kim Y, Yoo J et al. · Cureus · 2024
- 4Assessment of Passiflora incarnata L for conscious sedation of patients during the extraction of mandibular third molars: a randomized, split-mouth, double-blind, crossover studyPMIDChristoffoli MT, Bachesk AB, Farah GJ et al. · Quintessence international (Berlin, Germany : 1985) · 2021
Christoffoli MT, Bachesk AB, Farah GJ et al.. Assessment of Passiflora incarnata L for conscious sedation of patients during the extraction of mandibular third molars: a randomized, split-mouth, double-blind, crossover study. Quintessence international (Berlin, Germany : 1985). 2021
- 5Effects of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus on polysomnographic sleep parameters in subjects with insomnia disorder: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled studyPMIDLee J et al. · International Clinical Psychopharmacology · 2020
Total sleep time was significantly increased in the passionflower group compared to placebo in a double-blind RCT with 110 participants.
- 6Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extractionPMIDDantas LP, de Oliveira-Ribeiro A, de Almeida-Souza LM, Groppo FC · Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal · 2017
Double-blind crossover RCT of 40 volunteers found Passiflora incarnata showed anxiolytic effect similar to midazolam for conscious sedation during dental extraction, without the amnesia side effect of midazolam.
- 7A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata on subjective sleep qualitySource linkedPMIDNgan A, Conduit R · Phytother Res · 2011
- 8Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyPMIDMovafegh A, Alizadeh R, Hajimohamadi F et al. · Anesthesia and analgesia · 2008
Movafegh A, Alizadeh R, Hajimohamadi F et al.. Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Anesthesia and analgesia. 2008
- 9Passiflora incarnata Linneaus as an anxiolytic before spinal anaesthesiaSource linkedPMIDMovafegh A, Alizadeh R, Hajimohamadi F et al. · Anesth Analg · 2008
- 10Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepamPMIDAkhondzadeh S et al. · Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics · 2001
Passiflora extract and oxazepam were equally effective in treating GAD; passionflower showed significantly lower job performance impairment than the benzodiazepine.
- 11Possible anxiolytic effects of chrysin, a central benzodiazepine receptor ligand isolated from Passiflora coeruleaPMIDMedina JH et al. · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · 1990
Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) displaces benzodiazepine receptor binding and produces anxiolytic effects without sedation, suggesting partial agonist activity at GABA-A BDZ sites.
Reviews & position papers
6- 12Synergistic Effect of Passiflora incarnata L., Herba and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the Management of Benzodiazepine MisusePMIDCarminati M, Tondello M, Zappia M et al. · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
Carminati M, Tondello M, Zappia M et al.. Synergistic Effect of Passiflora incarnata L., Herba and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the Management of Benzodiazepine Misuse. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). 2026
- 13Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): Quality of Food Supplements Versus Registered Herbal Medicinal ProductsPMIDBrouns A, Lechtenberg M, Hensel A · Planta medica · 2025
Brouns A, Lechtenberg M, Hensel A. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): Quality of Food Supplements Versus Registered Herbal Medicinal Products. Planta medica. 2025
- 14Passiflora incarnata in Neuropsychiatric Disorders-A Systematic ReviewPMIDJanda K et al. · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · 2020
Majority of clinical trials (9 total) found reduced anxiety levels following Passiflora incarnata; no adverse effects including memory loss or psychometric function collapse observed.
- 15Passiflora incarnata L.: ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trialsPMIDMiroddi M et al. · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2013
Clinical trials support passionflower for anxiety and sleep; overall safe with no reported hepatotoxicity; limited but growing evidence base.
- 16Modulation of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system by Passiflora incarnata L.PMIDAppel K et al. · Phytotherapy Research · 2011
Whole passionflower extract induced dose-dependent direct GABA-A currents in hippocampal slices; GABA itself is a prominent ingredient of the extract.
- 17Toxicity of Passiflora incarnata LPMIDFisher AA, Purcell P, Le Couteur DG · Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology · 2000
Fisher AA, Purcell P, Le Couteur DG. Toxicity of Passiflora incarnata L. Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology. 2000
Reference material
2- 18Carminati M, Tondello M, Zanardi R. Passiflora incarnata L., herba, in benzodiazepine tapering: long-term safety and efficacy in a real-world setting. Frontiers in psychiatry. 2024Source linkedPMID
- 19Akhondzadeh S, Kashani L, Mobaseri M et al.. Passionflower in the treatment of opiates withdrawal: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics. 2001Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Passionflower, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Passionflower?
Gentle calming herb for anxiety and sleep with fewer side effects than valerian.
What is Passionflower used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Passionflower include: Anxiety relief; Sleep support; Calm without sedation. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate.
What is a typical dose of Passionflower?
A typical adult dose of Passionflower is 200-400 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Standardized extract. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Passionflower?
Reported side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, rarely nausea. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Passionflower?
NutriStack rates this as Moderate, meaning several aligned RCTs or one large RCT plus supporting reviews. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Passionflower in NutriStack.
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