COMMON NAME Passion Flower LATIN NAME Passiflora incarnata ORIGIN North American, Europe, South America PART OF PLANT USED Dried aerial parts, gathered during fruiting season ACTIVE SUBSTANCES glycosides, flavonoids, harmine and harmane alkaloids (passiflorine, aribine, loturine, yageine), maltol STANDARD 3.5-4.0% isovitexin (flavonoids)

DESCRIPTION
Passion flower is a woody vine with flowers which reminded early Jesuit travelers of the passion or suffering of Christ. The plant produces a small berrylike fruit called granadilla or water lemon

PHARMACOLOGY
Passion Flower contains glycosides (containing alkaloids) and flavonoids. Low levels of serotonin have been identified which may help explain the use of passion flower as a natural calmative, mood shifter and aid to concentration. Another compound called maltol has been shown to have mild sedative properties. The harmane alkaloids have been shown to be spasmolytic toward smooth muscle and to lower blood pressure by expanding heart coronary vessels.

ACTIVE PROPERTIES
For the past 200 years passion flower has been used to tranquilize and settle edgy nerves. Passion flower induces sleep without causing confusion upon awakening. Passion flower has been used by women to calm nerves and induce relaxation during the periods of hormonal adjustment found during menses, parturition, and menopause

HISTORICAL USES

Mild sedative Sleeplessness Nervous and high strung children, hyperactivity Cardiovascular neuroses Concentration problems Hormonal adjustment, menses, parturition, menopausal problems Bronchial asthma Hemorrhoidal inflammations Antispasmodic Analgesic anti-convulsant Anti-inflammatory

DIRECTIONS FOR USE
100-200 mg/day

BIO-ENHANCING AGENTS
Hops, chamomile, skullcap, wood betony, valerian, L-tryptophan, GABA

TOXICITY, CAUTIONS & CONTRA-INDICATIONS
No known toxicity. Use standardized whole plant extracts.

PROCESSING
Dried aerial parts are gathered during fruiting season. A dry hydroalcoholic extract is made.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

• Mowrey, D. (1990) Guaranteed Potency Herbs. A Compilation of writing on the subject
  
• Mowrey, D. ( 1986) The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine. Cormorant Books.
• Weiner, M. (1990) Weiner's Herbal. Mill Valley: Quantum Books.
  
• Lutomski, J. et al. (1981) The meaning of Passion Flower in the healing arts. Pharmazie in Unserer Zeit. 10(2):45-49

ANALYSIS

Product	Passion Flower
Type	Standardized extract
Standardization	3.54% (3.5 -4.0%)
Characteristic	light brown amorphous powder
Solubility: in water (c=2) in alcohol (50% v/v)(c=2)	complies: clear or opalescent solution complies: clear or opalescent solution
pH	4.0 (4.0-6.0)
Ash	17.6% (<=20.0)
Heavy Metals	<100.0 (<100.00 ppm)
Total residual organic solvents	0.01% (<=0.05%)
Ethanol	<0.005 (<=0.5%)
Methanol	0.01% (<=0.05%)
Methylene chloride	<0.005% (<=0.005%)
other	<0.005% (<=0.005%)
Microbiological content
fungi	<100.0 (<=100.0) cfu/g
staph aureus, salmonella	absent
E. coli	absent