.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047

. 12 December 2013

M. Miroddi^a G. Calapai^abM.Navarra^c P. L. Minciullo^{a d} S. Gangemi^a

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The genus Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus comprises approximately 520 species belonging to the Passifloraceae family. The majority of these species are vines found in Central or South America, with rare occurrence in North America, Southeast Asia and Australia. The genus Passiflora incarnata has long been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety in Europe, and it has been used as a sedative tea in North America. Furthermore, this plant has been used for analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-asthmatic, wormicidal and sedative purposes in Brazil; as a sedative and narcotic in Iraq; and for the treatment of disorders such as dysmenorrhoea, epilepsy, insomnia, neurosis and neuralgia in Turkey. In Poland, this plant has been used to treat hysteria and neurasthenia; in America, it has been used to treat diarrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, neuralgia, burns, haemorrhoids and insomnia. Passiflora incarnata L. has also been used to cure subjects affected by opiate dependence in India. This review aims to provide up-to-date information about the pharmacology, clinical efficacy and clinical safety of Passiflora incarnata L. based on the scientific literature. In particular, the methodological accuracy of clinical trials is analysed in accordance with current consolidated guidelines on reporting the clinical efficacy of herbal medicine, offering new insight into opportunities for future research and development.

Introduction

This article summarises and critically analyses the scientific literature on Passiflora incarnata L. (English common name: passionflower), an herbal medicine with a long tradition of medicinal use worldwide. The genus Passiflora incarnata L. comprises approximately 520 species of dicotyledonous plants belonging to the family Passifloraceae (Wohlmuth et al., 2010).

The word Passiflora comes from the Latin word “Passio” because in 1529, Spanish “conquistadores” described its flowers as symbols of the “passion of Christ” (Kinghorn, 2001, Dhawan et al., 2004). The majority of these species are vines, with most found in Central or South America and some species occurring in North America, Southeast Asia and Australia (Ulmer et al., 2004). A number of species, including Passiflora edulis Sims and Passiflora laurifolia L., are widely cultivated for their edible fruits, while many others are grown as ornamentals for their particular and spectacular flowers (Wohlmuth et al., 2010). Several species have a long history of use as traditional herbal medicines. Passiflora incarnata L., which originated in North America, is the most common variety used in contemporary Western phytotherapy. This species, commonly known by the English name maypop, is native to the south-eastern United States, but is also cultivated in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, both as an ornamental and as a medicinal plant (Dhawan et al., 2004).

This plant exhibits various pharmacological properties and possesses a complex phytochemistry. The present review aims to evaluate and comment on the scientific evidence regarding the therapeutic use of Passiflora incarnata, to summaries the chemical constituents of therapeutic preparations, to analyse the pharmacological aspects of the plant by examining both preclinical and clinical research, and to assess the toxicity and safety profile.

The putative clinical efficacy of Passiflora incarnata has been evaluated for the treatment of a variety of diseases, but the current most common use in clinical practice is in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders.

In several preclinical experiments, Passiflora extracts have exhibited potential effects for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia as well as for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, hypertension and cancer. Recent studies also showed that preparations obtained from leaves exert anticonvulsant effects (Dhawan et al., 2003a, Nassiri-Asl et al., 2007). Although a variety of other preparations are available, dried extracts are the most important product derived from passionflower. Many practitioners actually use passionflower extracts alone or in combination with other herbal medicines to treat anxiety and sleep disorders in a wide range of patients (Newall, 1996; Zhou et al., 2008). This review also highlights the scientific basis for future research on Passiflora incarnata, and its real potential for the development of the market for herbal medicinal products.

Reference:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874113006983