Energetics:
Bitter, Cool, Dry

Common Names:
Passion Flower, Apricot Vine, Flower of the Five Wounds, Maypop, Passiflora, Passiflore, Passionskraut, Passion Blume, Waterlemon

Latin Name:
Passiora incarnata

Family Name:
Passifloraceae - Passion flower family

Functions:
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, hypnotic, hypotensive, nervine, sedative

TCM Functions:

1. Calms spirit, relieves anxiety
   * tonifies heart yin and sedates floating yang. Insomnia. Palpitations, irritability, hypertension, overall muscle tension
2. Regulates the Qi and relieves constraint. Pacifies internal wind. Sedates hyperactive Liver Yang.
   * tremors, convulsions, seizures, spasms, mental/nervous tension, anxiety, agitated depression, abdominal/kidney sacral pain
3. Circulates Lung Qi and opens the chest
   *dry nervous cough, throat irritation, wheezing, whooping cough
4. Reduces inflammations
   * skin inflammations, burns, sores

Therapeutics:
Used for anger, anxiety, convulsions, dysmenorrhea, epilepsy, headache, hyperactivity, hypertension, insomnia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, muscle spasms, nervous breakdown, neuralgia, pain, Parkinson’s disease, restlessness, stress, tachycardia, toothache and whooping cough.

Notes:
Passion Flower is an amazing remedy to treat insomnia, anxiety and pain. It is specific for these conditions when the underlying disorder is due to internal wind from hyperactive Liver Yang and the corresponding symptoms of twitches, dizziness, vertigo and tinnitus (high-pitched).

Tradition:
Passion Flower’s name comes from its beautiful flowers, thought to represent Christ’s crucifixion - 5 stamens for the 5 wounds, 3 styles for the 3 nails, and white and purple-blue colors for purity and heaven.

UpS Alternatives:
Use cultivated Passion Flower as an analog for endangered species Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium spp.) and endangered species Kava (Piper methysticum).

Contraindications:
Not for use during pregnancy due to its potential abortifacient effects.