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Clinical Studies
Passion Flower is used for insomnia, gastrointestinal (GI) upset related to anxiety or nervousness, generalized anxiety disorder and symptoms of cannabis, alcohol, smoking and opiate withdrawal. Passion Flower is also used for neuralgia, generalized seizures, spasmodic asthma, menopausal symptoms, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness and excitability, palpitations, cardiac rhythm abnormalities, high blood pressure and pain relief.
Published Clinical Studiescl top
1
Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam.
Akhondzadeh S, Naghavi HR, Vazirian M, Shayeganpour A, Rashidi H, Khani M.
Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, South Kargar Avenue, Tehran, Iran. s.akhond@neda.net
OBJECTIVE: Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a folk remedy for anxiety. A double-blind randomized trial compared the efficacy of Passiflora incarnata extract with oxazepam in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. METHODS: The study was performed on 36 out-patients diagnosed with GAD using DSM IV criteria. Patients were allocated in a random fashion: 18 to the Passiflora extract 45 drops/day plus placebo tablet group, and 18 to oxazepam 30 mg/day plus placebo drops for a 4-week trial. RESULTS: Passiflora extract and oxazepam were effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. No significant difference was observed between the two protocols at the end of trial. Oxazepam showed a rapid onset of action. On the other hand, significantly more problems relating to impairment of job performance were encountered with subjects on oxazepam. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Passiflora extract is an effective drug for the management of generalized anxiety disorder, and the low incidence of impairment of job performance with Passiflora extract compared to oxazepam is an advantage. A large-scale trial is justified.
Publication Types:
PMID: 11679026 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
[Attention deficit and infantile hyperactivity]2
Berdonces JL.
Universitat de Barcelona.
Hyperactivity is a very common disorder in children (specially males) that today is considered as a clinical syndrome by scientific medicine. American Psychiatric Association establishes 10 symptoms to diagnose it, but they can be resumed in three characteristics: Impulsivity, Distraction, and Hyperactivity. There are different ways to treat it, but psychiatric medication has major risks in children. From complementary medicine we can find several aids in changing diet patterns and supplementing with vitamins or minerals. Chocolate, sugar, sweeteners, additives, preservatives, dyes, can enhance the incidence of this syndrome; instead the supplementation with lipids rich in PUFA's can prevent it. B complex vitamins, magnesium, copper, manganese or calcium can be interesting and in herbal medicine, sedative plants like passion flower, valerian or lemon balm are useful aids. Also liquorice, fennel and berries can be used for different physiological actions.
PMID: 11235487 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
3
Suppression of alcohol-cessation-oriented hyper-anxiety by the benzoflavone moiety of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus in mice.
Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A.
Pharmacognosy Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
A benzoflavone moiety has been reported recently to be responsible for the multifarious CNS effects of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus. In the light of the established usefulness of the benzoflavone moiety in counteracting the withdrawal effects of substances like morphine, cannabinoids and nicotine by the authors, the bioactive benzoflavone moiety (BZF) has been tested in mice treated with an addictive dose (2 g/kg, bid for 6 days) of ethyl alcohol, in order to evaluate its effectiveness in countering alcohol dependence. In a 7-day regimen, different groups of mice were administered vehicle, alcohol and alcohol+three doses (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg of the benzoflavone moiety) of P. incarnata; all treatments (chronic) being administered orally, twice daily for 6 days. Similarly, three other groups of mice were rendered addicts upon alcohol by administration of the addictive dose (2 g/kg, bid for 6 days) of ethyl alcohol, and a single acute administration of 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg dose of benzoflavone moiety was given on the 7th day. In both, chronic and acute administrations, the benzoflavone moiety prevented significantly the expression of withdrawal effects of alcohol as there was a significant decrease in anxiety oriented behavior in mice that received benzoflavone moiety of P. incarnata. The chronic administration of P. incarnata with alcohol had better preventive effects than the single acute treatment with P. incarnata in alcohol-dependent mice.
PMID: 12065157 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
4
Reversal of cannabinoids (delta9-THC) by the benzoflavone moiety from methanol extract of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus in mice: a possible therapy for cannabinoid addiction.
Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A.
Pharmacognosy Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
The newly reported benzoflavone moiety from the plant Passiflora incarnata Linneaus has been evaluated in light of traditional reports on the use of P. incarnata in breaking down cannabis addiction. In the modern or allopathic system of therapeutics, there has been no suitable remedy to combat the severe withdrawal effects of various cannabis products, including marihuana, marijuana, bhang, hashish, ganja, etc., the world-wide consumption of which has attained alarming proportions especially among the younger generation. Mice were given a 10-mg-kg(-1) twice-daily dose of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC) by mouth for six days to make them dependent upon cannabinoids. Concurrently, other groups of mice were administered delta9-THC along with a 10- or 20-mg-kg(-1) twice-daily dose of the benzoflavone moiety from P. incarnata orally for 6 days. Upon measuring locomotor activity during the treatment regimen, it was noticed that the mice receiving the P. incarnata extract and delta9-THC together developed significantly less tolerance and dependence, relative to the mice receiving delta9-THC alone. Upon administration of SR-141716A, a selective cannabinoid-receptor antagonist (10 mg kg(-1), p.o.) to all the groups of mice on the 7th day, an artificial withdrawal was produced due to an abrupt decline of delta9-THC levels in mouse brain. However, the typical withdrawal effects like paw tremors and head shakes were significantly less in the mice given delta9-THC+P. incarnata benzoflavone moiety for 6 days. Upon administration of 20 mg kg(-1) of the P. incarnata benzoflavone moiety to mice showing severe symptoms of withdrawal due to administration of SR-141716A, there was a marked attenuation of withdrawal effects, thereby suggesting the usefulness of the benzoflavone moiety in delta9-THC withdrawal. Thus, the benzoflavone moiety of P. incarnata, when administered concurrently with delta9-THC, prevented the development of tolerance and dependence of cannabinoids in mice. Even an acute administration of the benzoflavone moiety (20 mg kg(-1), p.o.) significantly blocked the expression of withdrawal effects in delta9-THC-dependent mice.
PMID: 12079005 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Antitussive activity of the methanol extract of Passiflora incarnata leaves.5
Dhawan K, Sharma A.
Pharmacognosy Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, 160014, Chandigarh, India. kdd@glide.net.in
The methanol extract of the leaves of Passiflora incarnata (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) exhibited significant antitussive activity on sulfur dioxide-induced cough in mice, the cough inhibition (39.4 and 65.0%, respectively) being comparable to that of codeine phosphate (10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o., respectively).
PMID: 12165335 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
[Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata L.)--a reliable herbal sedative]6
Krenn L.
Institut fur Pharmakognosie, Universitat Wien, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Wien. Liselotte.Kren@univie.ac.at
Extracts and fluid extracts from the aerial parts from Passiflora incarnata L. are widely used as components of herbal sedatives. Many pharmacological investigations confirm the sedative effects of Passiflorae herba. From some of the studies also anxiolytic effects can be deduced. As Passionflower is mainly used in combinations, clinical studies of the single drug are not available. Based on pharmacological data, the experiences of traditional use and the use in combinations Passiflora extracts are an important factor in the phytotherapy of tenseness, restlessness and irritability with difficulty in falling asleep.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12244887 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Antiasthmatic activity of the methanol extract of leaves of Passiflora incarnata.7
Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A.
Pharmacognosy Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India. kdd@glide.net.in
The methanol extract of the leaves of P. incarnata was evaluated for its antiasthmatic effects against acetylcholine chloride (Ach)-induced-bronchospasm in guinea-pigs at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Using a 7-day treatment regimen, significant prevention of dyspnoea-related-convulsions was noted in the animals treated with a 100 mg/kg dose of this extract. No preventive effect was exhibited by the 50 mg/kg dose and at a higher dose, i.e. 200 mg/kg, the preventive effects against Ach-chloride-induced-dyspnoea were also reduced. This may be due to defective alpha-adrenoceptor function reported after excessive or continuous administration of an alpha-receptor agonist. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID: 12916087 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
8
Attenuation of benzodiazepine dependence in mice by a tri-substituted benzoflavone moiety of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus: a non-habit forming anxiolytic.
Dhawan K, Dhawan S, Chhabra S.
Department of Drugs Control, Government of Haryana, Panchkula, India. kdd@glide.net.in
PURPOSE: A tri-substituted benzoflavone moiety (BZF) recently isolated from the methanol extract of aerial parts of the plant Passiflora incarnata Linneaus had exhibited encouraging results in countering the dependence produced by addiction-prone substances like morphine, nicotine, cannabinoids and ethyl alcohol, during the studies performed by the authors. Since the BZF moiety had exhibited significant anxiolytic properties at 10 mg/kg p.o. dose in mice, therefore, it was desirable to evaluate this potential phyto-moiety (BZF) for its own dependence-liabilities It was also deemed viable to evaluate BZF moiety for its possible usefulness in countering the dependence-liabilities associated with the chronic use of benzodiazepines keeping in light their tremendous clinical use in the management of anxiety and insomnia. METHODS. Different groups of mice were administered BZF alone (10, 50 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.), and concomitantly with diazepam (20 mg/kg, p.o.) in a 21-days treatment regimen, followed by no treatments for the next 72-hours. The withdrawal effects in the form of ambulatory behavior of the treated animals were recorded on the 25th day using an Actophotometer. RESULTS. The BZF-alone (three doses) treated mice exhibited a normal ambulatory behavior on 25th day. Mice groups receiving co-treatments, i.e., BZF-diazepam concomitantly, also exhibited a normal ambulatory behavior in a dose-dependent manner, i.e., the higher dose of BZF (100 mg/kg) being more effective in countering the withdrawal effects of chronically administered diazepam than the lower doses (10 or 50 mg/kg). CONCLUSIONS. The studies revealed that the chronic administration of the BZF moiety (three doses), did not exhibit any dependence-liability of its own, even upon an abrupt cessation. Additionally, the BZF co-treatments with diazepam also prevented the incurrence of diazepam-dependence, which might be because of the aromatase enzyme inhibiting properties associated with the BZF moiety.
PMID: 12935433 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]