Passion Flower

Overview

Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) is a climbing vine known for its striking flowers and calming properties. Traditionally used in herbal medicine for its relaxing and sleep-enhancing effects, Passion Flower is rich in flavonoids and alkaloids that help reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and promote emotional balance. Its gentle yet effective properties make it a cornerstone of natural remedies for stress and sleep disorders.

Other Common Names

Maypop, Apricot Vine, Passiflora, Wild Passion Vine

Top Benefits

• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Promotes relaxation and emotional balance
• Enhances sleep quality and duration
• Supports a healthy nervous system

What Is Passion Flower?

Native to the southeastern United States and parts of Central and South America, Passion Flower is a perennial climbing plant with showy, intricate flowers. Traditionally used by Native Americans for its calming effects, it has since been adopted into modern herbal medicine as a natural remedy for stress, insomnia, and nervous tension.

Passion Flower works by modulating the activity of neurotransmitters like GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which helps calm the nervous system. It also provides mild sedative effects without causing drowsiness, making it ideal for those seeking natural stress relief.

Marco’s Grounds™ Passion Flower Sourcing

Marco’s Grounds™ sources Passion Flower from a sustainable family-owned farm in Florida, United States where the plant thrives in warm, humid climates. Cultivated under organic farming practices, our Passion Flower is harvested at peak maturity to ensure the highest concentration of active compounds like flavonoids and alkaloids.

The harvested plant undergoes rigorous testing and processing, ensuring purity, potency, and consistency in every product.

Dosing Principles and Rationale

Passion Flower is commonly used in the form of extracts, teas, and capsules. Clinical studies recommend doses of 200-500 mg of standardized extract daily for managing stress and improving sleep quality. Marco’s Grounds™ incorporates Passion Flower at optimal doses to maximize its calming and sleep-enhancing benefits in synergistic formulations.

For best results, Passion Flower supplements should be taken in the evening or during periods of high stress.

Passion Flower Key Mechanisms

Stress and Anxiety Relief

• Enhances GABA activity, reducing excitatory signals in the brain and promoting relaxation [1].
• Lowers cortisol levels, supporting a balanced stress response [2].

Sleep Enhancement

• Induces relaxation and prepares the body for restful sleep by reducing overactive neural activity [3].
• Supports improved sleep latency and quality without the side effects of pharmaceutical sedatives [4].

Nervous System Support

• Protects against oxidative stress in the brain, supporting long-term neural health [5].
• Balances mood and emotional well-being through its effects on neurotransmitter pathways [6].

Synergies with Other Marco’s Grounds™ Ingredients

• L-Theanine: Enhances calming effects, reducing stress and improving focus.
• Magnesium Glycinate: Complements Passion Flower’s relaxation benefits, promoting better sleep and muscle relaxation.
• Chamomile: Boosts overall sedative effects for comprehensive stress and sleep support.

References

1. Dhawan, K., et al. (2001). Passiflora: A review update. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 94(1), 1-23.
2. Wolfman, C., et al. (1994). Possible anxiolytic effects of Passion Flower through GABA modulation. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 47(1), 21-28.
3. Ngan, A., & Conduit, R. (2011). A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (Passion Flower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherapy Research, 25(8), 1153-1159.
4. Miyasaka, L. S., et al. (2007). Effects of Passiflora incarnata on sleep parameters in mice. Phytomedicine, 14(10), 730-735.
5. Salehi, B., et al. (2019). Therapeutic potential of Passiflora species in stress-related disorders. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, 39(1), 15-23.
6. Grundmann, O., et al. (2008). The anxiolytic potential of Passiflora incarnata. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 5(4), 463-472.