Passionflower is one kind of flowering plant that has a wide range of purported health benefits. Across the world, a lot of traditional medicine branches agree with these health benefits and follow the treatment methods using this particular ingredient.
However, it is also important to note that there are a lot of variants that come under the general category of passionflower. According to the findings of the studies that have conducted so far, it can be found that there are around 500 known variants of this particular flowering plant.
In technical terms, the Passionflower is known by the name, “passiflora”. Passiflora Incarnata is one such species variant of passionflower that has been widely used by people across the world in order to treat issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
In this article, we will be discussing in detail all the possible therapeutic benefits that have been proven and purported for this flowering plant along with all the essential details.
Passionflower: An Overview
As already mentioned, passionflower is something that can be quite advantageous to human health in a lot of ways.
One of its proof can be seen in various traditional medicinal branches especially those that have been practised by the Native Americans for ages. According to them, boils, wounds, and a lot of liver health issues can be effectively cured with the medicinal formulations made using this particular flowering plant.
A couple of religious belief systems across the globe can also be seen supporting the use and consumption of passionflower in a range of different ways in order to treat various human health conditions and infections.
Apart from its medicinal benefits and other health gains, it can also be seen used in a lot of different beverages in order to add that special flavour to it. Using passionflower and its various parts in order to alleviate the symptoms of different stomach issues is also something that can be seen across various cultures.
Benefits Of Passionflower
1. Improves the quality of your sleep
The quality of your sleep has a vital role to play in your overall health and wellness. Apart from that, if you are someone who is sleep deprived, it can possibly increase the cortisol levels in your body and thereby cause you issues such as anxiety and stress.
Consuming passionflower can be quite beneficial in this regard since it can effectively increase the gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in your brain. This is a particular compound that can effectively slow down the functions and activities of your conscious brain and thereby help you relax and sleep properly.
There are also studies that indicate and prove the qualities of passionflower in improving the sleep qualities of the individual. Along with increasing the hours of uninterrupted deep sleep an individual gets on a daily basis, it could also effectively treat various types of sleep irregularities of individuals caused due to a lot of various reasons.
Several medicinal branches recommend consuming passionflower herbal tea just before undergoing any major surgeries that are likely to create a stressful mindset in the patients.
2. Heals stomach issues
As already mentioned, there are people and belief systems across the world that promote the use of passionflower in treating various stomach-related health conditions, as well as in improving the overall health of your digestive system.
There can be a lot of Passiflora variants that help in treating stomach issues. However, Passiflora Foetida is the most potent variant treating the same effectively. One of the major benefits of having Passionflower herbal tea is that it can heal the issues of stomach ulcers.
Studies conducted in rats have proven this benefit of passionflower tea. However, it is also important to note that no significant studies have taken place in order to confirm the role of passionflower herbal tea in soothing your stomach or healing the ulcers in it.
Since most of the passionflower variants are quite rich in their antioxidant levels, it is highly for this purported health benefit of the tea to be fact true. Passiflora Serratodigitata is another variant that can also help in treating stomach ulcers.
When it comes to these particular variants, their leaves and stems are processed in a particular way in order to get a potent extract from them in order to solve ulcers and various other stomach health issues.
Passionflower risks you need to know
Since passionflower is one of the most natural ingredients that you make use of in order to brew a cup of herbal tea, it is less likely to cause any type of side effects or reactions in individuals. However, if you have an unidentified allergy to this particular flowering plant, then it can potentially cause a couple of side effects.
Moreover, if you are taking this herbal tea for more than the permissible, you also stand an elevated chance of the side effects caused by passionflower.
Since it has close connections with brain activity and other related functions, you may experience drowsiness most of the time, if you have overdosed with the same. Apart from that, you may also notice yourself in a state of confusion if you are either allergic to it or consuming it in an exceeding quantity.
Apart from all these, it is also important for women who are lactating and pregnant to get themselves restricted from the consumption of the same. If you are a pregnant woman, this tea can possibly cause contractions in you, leading to unexpected bleeding and many issues including fatality of the foetus.
Conclusion
Now, that is all you need to know about the flowering plant of passionflower, the herbal tea made using the same, and various health benefits of passionflower tea, health risks, and warnings. To put it in a nutshell, even though there are a couple of purported health benefits for this particular herbal ingredient, no significant scientific evidence supports the same to a serious extent.
However, the claims raised by various traditional medical branches and the testimonies of the people across the globe, make it a point to try your hands on the same, in moderate quantities only. However, you must not take the risk of experimenting with the same, if you are carrying or lactating for the time being.
References
- Hoffmann F. Benefits and risks of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs: comparison of perceptions of GPs and community pharmacists in Germany. Ger Med Sci. 2013;11:Doc10–Doc10. doi: 10.3205/000178. [PMC free article]
- Palaniappan K, Thenappan A. Physiological Basis of Alternative Therapies to Alleviate Sleep Disturbances. J Sleep Disord Ther. 2015;5:221–221. doi: 10.4172/2167-0277.1000221. [CrossRef]
