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 ETYMOLOGY
The word "Passion" in passionflower is not a romantic reference, but rather is named for the passion of Christ, as it was said that the flower physically and metaphorically represent aspects of the cruxifiction.
BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Family: Passifloracea
Description: Passionflower is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. The plant’s leaves are alternate in formation, palmate in structure, are 3-lobed, and measure from 6-15 cm across. They have two characteristic glands at the base of the blade on the petiole. The flowers have five bluish-white petals and exhibit a white and purple corona, a structure of fine appendages between the petals and corolla. The large flower is typically arranged in a ring above the petals and sepals. Passionflower is a self-sterile plant and normally blooms in July. The passion fruit, when ripe is yellow-green and the size of a small hen's egg. The yellow pulp is sweet and edible. It has large three lobed serrated leaves with beautifully intricate purple and white sweet-scented flowers that are from 2 to 3 inches across.
Habitat: A commonly found wildflower in the southern United States.
Cultivation: Passionflowers are found in thickets, near riverbanks, pastures, along roadsides and railroads. They thrive in areas with lots of available sunlight and are not usually found in shady areas, such as under the forest canopy.
Method of Harvest:
Passionflower is easily cultivated either by root division or by seed, and transplants from the wild commonly prosper. It requires well-drained, sandy, slightly acid soil in full sun. A trellis should be provided, since it is a tendril and climbs (grows) very quickly. Flowers bloom from June to August. The above ground portion of the plant is harvested for medicinal use as the fruit start to mature, and is dried for later use. The fruit should be harvested when soft and light yellow-green.
Parts Utillized: Leaves.
ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS: Chrysin is a flavone with confirmed anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory activities, and suspected aromatase inhibitor properties. Many flavonoids and their glycosides have been found in Passiflora, including apigenin, benzoflavone, homoorientin, 7-isoorientin, isoshaftoside, isovitexin, kaempferol, lucenin, luteolin, n-orientin, passiflorine (named after the genus), quercetin, rutin, saponaretin, saponarin, shaftoside, vicenin and vitexin.
MODE OF ACTION
Actions: Passionflower leaves have valuable calming and relaxing properties. Recent investigations have confirmed the efficacy of the herb in the treatment of nervousness and difficulty sleeping. The plant’s extractives may also be effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.
Precautions: Passionflower should not be used in doses higher than the recommended levels. Because it has a sedative effect, it should not be combined with alcoholic beverages or prescription sedatives. Passionflower should not be used by pregnant or lactating women, or for children under six months old.
COMMON INDICATIONS
As a medicinal herb: Passionflower is widely employed around the world today for its calming and relaxing effects. Passionflower is approved by ESCOP and the Commissions E of the German BGA monographs for tenseness and irratibility with diffulculty in falling asleep. It is also used for gastrointestinal problems related to nervousness.
Traditional uses:
Passionflower has long been a part of Central and North American herbal traditions.Traditionally, the fresh or dried whole plant has been used as a herbal medicine to treat nervous anxiety and insomnia. The dried, ground herb is frequently used in Europe by drinking a teaspoon of it in tea. A sedative chewing gum has even been produced. In cooking, the fruit of this variety is used for jam and jellies.
PREPARATION AND USE
Internal Use: The average daily suggested dose is 1-2 g of the titrated extractives of the plant.
HISTORY AND LEGENDS
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of this plant, particularly the numbers of its various flower parts, as symbols of the last days of Jesus Christ and especially the Crucifixion (for instance relating the 3 stigmata as representing the 3 nails and the 5 anthers below them the 5 wounds). (four by the nails and one by the lance). The blue and white colors of many species' flowers is also said to represent Heaven and Purity. The flower has been given names related to this symbolism throughout Europe in the time since. In Spain, it is known as espina de Cristo ("Christ's Thorn"). Old German names include Christus-Krone ("Christ's Crown"), Christus-Strauss ("Christ's Bouquet”), Dorn-Krone ("Crown of Thorns"), Jesus-Leiden ("Jesus' Passion"), Marter ("Passion”) or Muttergottes-Stern ("Mother of God's Star"). Historically it was a favorite of colonial settlers of the South and Native Americans alike.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
References
“Passiflora: a review update.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Sep;94(1):1-23
“Update review of Passiflora” Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2008 Aug;33(15):1789-93
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