What Passionflower Is
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a climbing vine native to the southeastern United States, with a purple and white flower ringed by fine corona filaments. It is sold as a calming herb for occasional tension and sleep. It is not the passion fruit plant, Passiflora edulis, which dominates the research on the genus. Remedy's Passionflower supplies 1000 mg of ground passionflower per vegan capsule, with 60 capsules per bottle.
It is a modest herb with a small evidence base, and this page says so plainly.
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1000 mg per capsule: Ground herb, not a standardized extract.
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60 capsules: Two months at 1 daily.
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Single ingredient: Passionflower, with 0 other active herbs.
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Also known as: Maypop, purple passionflower.
The full evidence map is in our passionflower overview.
Supplement Facts
Serving size: 1 Vegan Capsule. Servings per container: 60.
| Amount Per Serving |
Amount |
% Daily Value |
| Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) |
1000 mg |
† |
† Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: Cellulose, Glycerin, Water (vegan capsule)
Directions: One capsule daily, with or without food, in the morning or evening.
Handmade in Key Largo, FL, USA.
What the Evidence Actually Shows
Rather than print a benefits list, we would rather print the shape of the literature. These counts came off PubMed and anyone can rerun them.
| What PubMed holds on passionflower |
Count |
| Records mentioning any Passiflora species |
1,207 |
| Records on passion fruit, Passiflora edulis |
1,062 |
| Records on Passiflora incarnata or passionflower |
332 |
| Of those, tagged as human |
121 |
| Randomized or clinical trials |
23 |
| Systematic reviews or meta-analyses |
16 |
| Case reports |
8 |
Reading all 23 trial abstracts, about 11 test passionflower on its own. Seven of those give a single dose before surgery or a dental extraction, 464 people in total. That is a real finding, and it is not how a bottle is used at home.
Anxiety: What Was Tested
The strongest passionflower trials are about a moment of acute worry before a procedure, not about everyday anxiety.
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Before surgery: 500 mg, 90 minutes ahead, lowered anxiety in 60 patients without extra sedation.[1]Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients — Anesthesia and Analgesia (2008) View source
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Before wisdom teeth removal: 500 mg performed like midazolam in 200 people.[2]Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction — Clinical Oral Investigations (2021) View source
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Everyday anxiety: 1 pilot of 36 outpatients found an extract and oxazepam no different after 4 weeks.[3]Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot trial with oxazepam — Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics (2001) View source
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What it is not: A replacement for any prescribed anxiety medication.
The trial-by-trial detail is in passionflower for anxiety.
Sleep: Two Small Trials
Only 2 trials test passionflower alone on sleep, 151 people in total, none longer than 2 weeks.
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Tea, 2011: 41 healthy adults rated sleep quality better on 1 of 6 diary measures.[4]Passiflora incarnata herbal tea and subjective sleep quality — Phytotherapy Research (2011) View source
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Extract, 2020: 110 adults with insomnia gained about 23 minutes of total sleep.[5]Passiflora incarnata and polysomnographic sleep in insomnia disorder — International Clinical Psychopharmacology (2020) View source
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Not improved versus placebo: Sleep efficiency and time awake at night.
What those numbers do and do not mean is in passionflower for sleep.
How to Take It
There is no standard passionflower dose, and trial doses do not transfer directly to a ground-herb capsule.
| Source |
Preparation |
Amount |
| Pre-surgery and dental trials |
Extract |
260 to 500 mg, 30 to 90 minutes before |
| Everyday anxiety trial |
Liquid extract |
45 drops a day for 4 weeks |
| Sleep trial, 2011 |
Tea |
1 cup in the evening for 1 week |
| This capsule |
Ground herb |
1000 mg, 1 capsule daily |
NCCIH says daily extract may be safe for up to 8 weeks and tea for up to 7 nights.[6]Passionflower: Usefulness and Safety — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health View source We suggest 1 capsule daily, reviewed by 8 weeks. The detail is in passionflower dosage and how to take it.
Capsule or Tincture
We also sell passionflower as a 2 fl oz tincture. Neither format has been tested in a clinical trial, so the choice is practical.
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Capsule: A fixed 1000 mg, no alcohol, about $0.28 a serving.
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Tincture: 2 mL drops, made with alcohol, about $0.98 a serving.
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Avoiding alcohol: Choose the capsule.
The full comparison is in passionflower capsules vs tincture.
Safety and What Not to Mix It With
Passionflower was well tolerated in its trials. The practical risk is combining it with other things that slow the nervous system.
| Situation |
Position |
| Alcohol |
Do not combine |
| Benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, opioids |
Ask your prescriber first |
| Valerian, kava, hops or other sedating herbs |
Pick 1, do not stack |
| Surgery or dental sedation within 2 weeks |
Tell your provider |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding |
Do not use |
| Driving |
Not until you know how it affects you |
In 1 case report, a man on lorazepam who added valerian and passionflower developed tremor and dizziness.[7]Valerian and passionflower interaction in a patient on lorazepam — Phytotherapy Research (2009) View source Do not drive until you know how it affects you. More in passionflower side effects and interactions.
How It Compares With Other Calming Herbs
No calming herb has been shown to beat the others, and taking 2 at once is not twice the benefit.
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Valerian: Both beat placebo in 1 dental trial of 54 people.
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Pooled anxiety data: Passionflower fell just short of significance.[8]Medicinal herbs for anxiety: network meta-analysis — Pharmacological Research (2022) View source
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L-theanine: Not a sedating herb, and suits daytime use.
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The rule: Pick 1 calming herb at a time.
The comparison is in passionflower vs valerian and other calming herbs.
Why Choose Remedy's Passionflower
No trial makes one passionflower capsule better than another, so the honest differentiators are what is in it and what the page is willing to say.
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Single herb: Passiflora incarnata only, with no blend to guess at.
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No alcohol: Which suits a herb that should not meet alcohol.
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No treatment claim: Because the trials do not support one.
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The limits stated: 8 weeks, no pregnancy, no stacking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is passionflower good for? +
It is used for occasional tension and sleep. Its best evidence is 7 trials of a single dose before surgery or dental work.
How much passionflower is in a capsule? +
1000 mg of ground passionflower, Passiflora incarnata, per vegan capsule, with 60 capsules per bottle.
How many capsules should I take? +
One capsule daily, morning or evening, with or without food. Review whether it helps within 8 weeks.
Does passionflower help anxiety? +
Possibly, modestly. 7 single-dose trials before procedures were positive; everyday anxiety rests on 1 pilot of 36 people.
Does passionflower help you sleep? +
A little, on 2 small trials. 1 found about 23 extra minutes of sleep in 110 adults with insomnia.
Is passionflower the same as passion fruit? +
No. Passion fruit is Passiflora edulis. PubMed holds 1,062 records on it and 332 on passionflower.
What are the side effects? +
NCCIH lists 3 possible side effects: drowsiness, dizziness and confusion.
Can I take it with alcohol? +
No. Both slow the nervous system, so avoid alcohol on the 1 evening you take it.
Can I take it with anxiety or sleep medication? +
Ask your prescriber first. 1 case report describes tremor and dizziness with lorazepam, valerian and passionflower.
Can I take it while pregnant? +
No. NCCIH says passionflower should not be used in pregnancy because it may induce uterine contractions. 0 exceptions.
Can I take it every day? +
NCCIH says daily extract may be safe for up to 8 weeks. Longer use has not been studied.
How long does 1 bottle last? +
Sixty capsules is 2 months at 1 capsule daily.
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