To treat insomnia without sleeping pills, passionflower or passionflower (Passiflora incarnata L.) It stands as the great natural herbal solution, for its anxiolytic and sedative properties and for the great benefits it brings to mental health.
There are various species of passionflowers or passionflowers, but The one most used as a medicinal remedy is usually purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)either purple passionflower in English. On the other hand, we find the blue passionflower (Passiflora caerulea), which is the one that is preferably used in gardening as a beautiful hanging plant on walls and pergolas. As food, to take advantage of its tasty fruits, a third species is usually used, the well-known passion fruit or passion fruit. Passiflora edulis.
How is it distinguished? Passionflower or purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata is a vine plant, up to 10 meters in lengthwhich grows with a certain rapidity. It has tortuous stems, and leaves divided into three lobes, plus thin but resistant tendrils that allow it to climb walls or fences, tangled with other plants that serve as support.
The flowers are large and very showy.with a calyx formed by five greenish-white sepals, alternating with the five petals, of a similar color. The numerous stamens originate from them, violet at the base and white at the top. From the center projects the floral receptacle, sitting on a bed of bracts welded together, and the pistil, with the very apparent, thick, cross-shaped stigmas, arranged at its tip.
The fruits are ovoid in shape, with fleshy pulp, but with little flavor, because as we have seen, the passionflower species most valued in food is the passion fruit.
All passionflowers are vining plants native to the American continent. The medicinal species, purple passionflower, is native to the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. It is grown, like other species of passionflower, in gardens and parks and also in medicinal nurseries.
The passionflower dIt stands out above all for its sedative properties, anxiolytic, slightly hypnotic and as a good muscle relaxant. It is intended for the treatment of insomnia, mild anxiety, palpitations and muscle contractures.
The flowers and upper leaves of the plant are used. And it is taken in infusion, syrup, drops or capsules, as we will see shortly.
Properties of passionflower
The active ingredients that determine the properties of passionflower are the flavonoids it contains, especially quercetol and kenferol. It also contains heterosides such as vitexin, phytosterols (sitosterol and stigmasterol), traces of alkaloids and essential oil.
The main properties of passionflower are as a sedative, anxiolytic, slightly hypnotic, muscle relaxant, antimigraine, hypotensive, antispasmodic and digestive plant.
What is passionflower used for?
The benefits of passionflower for our emotional and physical well-being make it one of the priority plants in any herbalist and also in pharmacies, to treat conditions as common as insomnia without medication.
Passionflower is useful for sleeping whether you suffer from insomnia when you go to bed or if it is the type of insomnia that occurs in the middle of the night. Passionflower will help us sleep without interruption, or at least so that the next day we can get out of bed relaxed and rested.
It also has other medicinal uses. It is intended for:
- Relieve nervous and digestive migraines.
- Nervous irritation and prolonged stress.
- Muscle pain and contractures that may arise in sports or during professional work.
- Appease or reduce nervous palpitations.
- Fight gastrointestinal spasms.
- Treatment of menopause symptoms, such as muscle pain and low back pain, among others.
How to take passionflower for sleep and anxiety
The passionflower to sleep better It is usually taken as an infusion, generally associated with other herbs with which it is complemented, two cups a day, the last one half an hour before bedtime. In case of insomnia, it is also recommended to take it in the form of capsules or tablets, easy to apply, one or two capsules daily.
for anxietypassionflower is prescribed in the form of capsules or tabletsbut also in infusion, associated with other anxiolytic and stimulant plants.
How to take passionflower for muscle pain
For muscle pain and gastrointestinal spasms It is recommended to take passionflower infusion, but you can also use the juice of the fresh plant, passionflower in syrup form (one tablespoon three times a day), in liquid extract drops and again in capsule form.
In herbalists and many pharmacies It should not be difficult to acquire passionflower in sleeping pills (capsules, tablets), in bottles of liquid extracts or in tincture.
How long does it take for passionflower to take effect?
It is recommended to take passionflower half an hour before going to bed. to facilitate initial reconciliation, but it may take more or less time to take effect depending on the person, the activity they have carried out during the last few hours and even their diet. Passionflower tends to show itself with a faster effect in people who do not usually take sleep medicationsbut it also serves as an alternative to medications, with the advantage that it does not usually cause addiction.
The passionflower combines well with other sedative and muscle-relaxing plants or muscle relaxants, such as valerian, poppy, California poppy, chamomile, hawthorn, linden, hops or lemon balm, among others.
Valerian and passionflower can be taken together, either in the form of an infusion or in herbal and pharmacy preparations based on extracts or pills that contain them.
Infusions with passionflower
Passionflower to sleep better: herbal tea with poppy, hops, lemon balm and bitter orange
To sleep better you can have a cup in the middle of the afternoon and a second one half an hour before going to bed of this infusion. Take it hot, but without burning it.
Ingredients: Passionflower, California poppy, Papaver rhoeas poppy, Humulus lupulus hops, Melissa officinalis and bitter orange Citrus aurantica.
Preparation: Mix the plants well in equal parts (for example, 20 g of each plant). Separate about 5 grams of the mixture in equal parts for each cup of water you are going to prepare. Place the herbs in a teapot and pour the freshly boiled water over them. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. You can add maple syrup or similar to sweeten.
Passionflower for muscle pain: herbal tea with yarrow, white willow and other plants
To relieve muscle pain, you can drink two glasses of this infusion a day:
Ingredients: Passionflower, yarrow, white willow, viburnum, elderberry and star anise.
Preparation: Mix the plants well in equal parts. You will need a level tablespoon of the mixture in equal parts for each glass of water you are going to prepare. You boil it for about 2-3 minutes, let it rest covered for 10 more minutes and strain it. You add lemon juice or syrup to disguise the certainly bitter taste of the formula.
Contraindications of passionflower
Even though the presence of alkaloids is very low, out of caution, do not take passionflower. during pregnancy and lactation.
You should also not take passionflower if you are following a pharmacological treatment with sedatives, hypnotics and antihistamines, or at least it is preferable to consult with the doctor.
Procure do not drink alcohol if you take passionflower in all its forms. It rarely causes addiction in some people.
Jordi Cebrián Advisor: J. Mª. Teixé, herbalist from «El Manantial de Salud»