Passionflower, valerian, chamomile and ashwagandha are all sold for calm, and we found 1 trial comparing passionflower with valerian. It involved 54 people having wisdom teeth removed.
Everything else here is an indirect comparison, and it is labeled as one.
Quick Answer: Is Passionflower Better Than Valerian?
No herb has been shown to beat the others. The only head-to-head trial we found gave 54 dental patients passionflower, valerian or placebo, and both herbs lowered anxiety while placebo did not. A 2022 network meta-analysis of 29 trials and 12 herbs found passionflower short of significance, valerian unproven and ashwagandha effective in small trials.
Key Takeaways
- We found 1 head-to-head passionflower and valerian trial, in 54 people.
- Both herbs lowered dental anxiety scores; placebo, the 3rd arm, did not.
- A 2022 network analysis pooled 29 trials across 12 different herbs.
- Valerian and passionflower both fell short of significance in that 2022 analysis.
- Taking 2 sedating herbs together can add effects, so pick 1 instead.
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The Only Direct Comparison
Head-to-head herb trials are rare. For passionflower and valerian, we found exactly 1.
- Who: 54 patients having 2 wisdom teeth removed.
- Arms: Valerian, passionflower or placebo, triple-blind.
- Result: Both herbs reduced anxiety scores; placebo did not.
- Not changed: Surgical discomfort, in any group.
The trial reported lower state-anxiety scores from before to after surgery with either herb, and no significant change on placebo.[1]Effects of Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis in the control of anxiety due to tooth extraction: a randomized controlled clinical trial — Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (2024) View source It did not declare a winner between them.
Why the species matters before any comparison is explained in the passionflower basics.
The Indirect Comparison
A 2022 network meta-analysis put 12 herbs on 1 anxiety scale. Negative numbers favor the herb, and a range crossing 0 means not significant.
| Herb | Pooled effect on anxiety score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Passionflower | -4.20 (-8.82 to 0.16) | Short of significance, worth further study |
| Valerian | 0.95 (-6.57 to 8.42) | Insufficient evidence |
| Ashwagandha | -4.90 (-9.70 to -0.17) | Efficacious, but small trials |
| Kava | -2.46 (-4.47 to -0.32) | Effective, possibly not in GAD |
| Chamomile | 0.54 (-5.13 to 6.25) | Not shown better than placebo |
| L-theanine | -0.49 (-6.54 to 5.57) | Not shown better than placebo |
The authors called all results preliminary, citing small samples and strong placebo effects.[2]Medicinal herbs for the treatment of anxiety: A systematic review and network meta-analysis — Pharmacological Research (2022) View source Every herb was well tolerated, and none clearly beat another except in 1 comparison.
Passionflower or Valerian
These 2 are the most common pairing on shelves, and the evidence treats them as near equals.
- Dental anxiety: Both beat placebo in 1 trial of 54.
- Pooled anxiety data: Neither reached significance.
- Sleep: We found no trial comparing them on sleep.
- Practical difference: Valerian's smell; passionflower's pre-surgery trials.
Cochrane found only 2 eligible passionflower anxiety trials in 2007.[3]Passiflora for anxiety disorder — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2007) View source The full record is in the passionflower anxiety evidence.
Chamomile, Ashwagandha, Magnesium and Melatonin
These come up in the same searches, and each does a slightly different job.
- Chamomile: Not shown better than placebo for anxiety in the 2022 analysis.
- Ashwagandha: Efficacious there, on small trials; not a sedative herb.
- Magnesium: A mineral, with no interaction in the passionflower case reports.
- Melatonin: A hormone for timing; no trial compares it with passionflower.
Sleep Specifically
For sleep, the comparison is thinner still.
- Passionflower: 2 single-herb sleep trials, 151 people.
- Shared mechanism: Valerian, passionflower and lemon balm may act on GABA.
- Blends: Many sleep trials test them together, so credit is shared.
A 2021 review grouped valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, lavender and California poppy as herbs that may work partly through GABA receptors.[4]Herbal Remedies and Their Possible Effect on the GABAergic System and Sleep — Nutrients (2021) View source What the passionflower sleep trials measured is in what passionflower does for sleep.
Why Not Take Them Together
If 2 herbs may act on the same calming system, taking both is not twice the benefit.
- Additive effect: More drowsiness, dizziness and slowed reactions.
- Unknown dose: Blends rarely show how much of each herb you get.
- With medication: The risk rises further.
In 1 case report, a man taking lorazepam added valerian and passionflower and developed tremor and dizziness.[5]Interactions of Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L. in a patient treated with lorazepam — Phytotherapy Research (2009) View source The authors suspected additive effects at GABA receptors.
How to Choose
Without a clear winner, pick on fit and keep it to 1 herb at a time.
- A predictable stressful event: Passionflower has the pre-procedure data.
- Daytime calm without drowsiness: L-theanine is not a sedating herb.
- Evening wind-down: Passionflower or valerian, not both.
- Diagnosed anxiety or insomnia: A clinician, before any herb.
If passionflower fits, a single-herb passionflower capsule keeps it to 1 herb you can judge on its own.
Speak to a Clinician Before Combining Calming Herbs If
- You take a benzodiazepine, a sleeping pill, an opioid or another sedating prescription
- You drink alcohol in the evening, or need to drive after taking it
- You already take valerian, kava, hops or another sedating herb
- You are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
- You have surgery or a dental procedure with sedation within 2 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for anxiety, passionflower or valerian? +
Neither has been shown better. In the only direct trial, 54 dental patients, both lowered anxiety compared with placebo.
Is passion flower or valerian better for sleep? +
We found 0 trials comparing them on sleep. Passionflower has 2 single-herb sleep trials; neither herb has a strong lead.
Can you take passion flower and valerian root together? +
It is not a good idea without advice. Both may act on GABA, and 1 case report linked the pair with lorazepam to tremor.
What is better, ashwagandha or passion flower? +
They differ. In a 2022 analysis of 29 trials, ashwagandha was efficacious on small trials and passionflower fell just short.
Which is better for sleep, chamomile or passion flower? +
No trial compares them. For anxiety, the 2022 analysis found neither chamomile nor passionflower clearly better than placebo across 29 trials.
Can I take magnesium and passion flower together? +
No interaction appears in the 8 passionflower case reports on PubMed. Magnesium is a mineral, not a sedating herb.
Is passionflower stronger than kava? +
Kava had a significant pooled effect in 1 analysis of 29 trials, but carries liver warnings. Passionflower fell just short of significance.
Is L-theanine a good alternative to passionflower? +
It is not sedating, which helps in the daytime. In the 2022 analysis it did not beat placebo across 29 trials.
Should I take a calming blend instead? +
Blends make it hard to know which of 2 or more herbs helped, or caused a side effect. 1 herb at a time is easier to judge.
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