Written by Connor. Connor is the founder of Mortals, an all-natural supplement brand focused on clinical dosing. After years of frustration with underdosed supplements and misleading labels, he created Mortals to deliver what the research actually supports.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is one of the most underappreciated botanicals in the natural wellness space. While ashwagandha and magnesium dominate the conversation around natural calm support, passionflower has quietly built an impressive body of clinical evidence — including studies comparing it directly to pharmaceutical anxiety medications.
In this complete guide, we cover what passionflower is, how it works in the brain, what clinical research shows about its passionflower benefits for anxiety and sleep, proper dosing, and how to choose a quality supplement.
What Is Passionflower?
Passionflower is a climbing vine native to the southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Despite its exotic appearance — with intricate purple and white blooms — it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Spanish explorers in the 1500s documented indigenous peoples using it for calming purposes, and it became a staple in European herbal medicine by the 1800s.
The species most studied for its calming properties is Passiflora incarnata, sometimes called "maypop." It's the aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) that contain the active compounds used in supplements.
Active Compounds in Passionflower
- Flavonoids: Including chrysin, vitexin, isovitexin, and orientin. Chrysin in particular has been studied for its interaction with GABA receptors. Research (PubMed) has shown chrysin possesses anxiolytic actions through its role as a partial agonist of central benzodiazepine receptors.
- Alkaloids: Including harman and harmine, which act as mild monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
- Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): Passionflower contains small amounts of GABA itself and also appears to influence the GABA system through its flavonoid content.
How Passionflower Works in the Brain
Passionflower's primary mechanism of action involves the GABAergic system — the brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter network. GABA acts like the brain's brake pedal, helping to slow down neural activity and promote a state of calm.
Research suggests passionflower works through several complementary mechanisms:
1. GABA-A Receptor Modulation
The flavonoid chrysin in passionflower appears to bind to GABA-A receptors, enhancing the effect of GABA in the brain. This is similar in mechanism (though milder in effect) to how benzodiazepine medications work. Research (PubMed) has confirmed chrysin's anxiolytic effects through interaction with the GABA(A) receptor.
2. GABA Transaminase Inhibition
Some research suggests passionflower compounds may inhibit GABA transaminase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down GABA. By slowing GABA's breakdown, more of it remains available in the synaptic cleft, prolonging its calming effects.
3. MAO Inhibition
The harmala alkaloids in passionflower have mild monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity. This can help maintain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation.
Clinical Research: Passionflower for Anxiety
What makes passionflower particularly compelling is the quality of its clinical evidence. Several rigorous studies have compared it directly to pharmaceutical approaches.
The Landmark Benzodiazepine Comparison
A 2001 double-blind, randomized trial (PubMed) published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics compared passionflower extract to oxazepam (a benzodiazepine) in 36 patients with generalized anxiety. Over 4 weeks, both groups showed comparable improvements in anxiety scores. The key difference: the passionflower group reported significantly less impairment of job performance compared to the oxazepam group.
This study was groundbreaking because it demonstrated that a botanical could match a pharmaceutical on efficacy while producing fewer side effects that interfered with daily functioning.
Pre-Surgical Anxiety
A 2008 randomized, double-blind study (PubMed) in Anesthesia and Analgesia gave passionflower (500mg) or placebo to 60 patients before surgery. The passionflower group had significantly lower anxiety scores before the procedure compared to placebo — without the sedation or cognitive impairment typically associated with pharmaceutical anxiolytics.
Dental Anxiety
A study (PubMed) tested passionflower (260mg) against midazolam in patients undergoing dental extraction. Passionflower showed an anxiolytic effect similar to midazolam and was found to be safe and effective for conscious sedation, further supporting its acute anxiolytic potential.
Clinical Research: Passionflower for Sleep
While anxiety and sleep are closely linked, passionflower has also been studied specifically for sleep support.
Sleep Quality Study
A 2011 double-blind, placebo-controlled study (PubMed) published in Phytotherapy Research had 41 healthy adults consume passionflower tea or placebo for one week each, with a one-week washout period between. Participants who consumed passionflower showed significantly better sleep quality on validated questionnaires compared to when they consumed placebo.
Sleep Architecture
Research using polysomnography (sleep monitoring) suggests passionflower may support healthy sleep architecture — the natural cycling between sleep stages. Unlike some sleep aids that suppress REM sleep, passionflower appears to support more natural sleep patterns, which is important for cognitive function and emotional processing.
Passionflower Dosing: What the Research Shows
Dosing varies based on the form of passionflower used:
- Dried herb or tea: 0.5-2 grams steeped in hot water, 1-3 times daily
- Liquid extract (1:1): 0.5-1 mL, up to 3 times daily
- Standardized extract: 250-900mg daily, typically standardized to flavonoid content
- In combination formulas: 100-500mg as part of a multi-ingredient supplement
Most clinical studies used doses in the range of 400-900mg of passionflower extract daily. The onset of effects typically occurs within 30-60 minutes for acute use, with cumulative benefits building over days to weeks of regular use.
Passionflower in Anxiety Assassin
Anxiety Assassin by Mortals includes passionflower as one of nine synergistic ingredients alongside ashwagandha, L-theanine, lion's mane, L-Tryptophan, chamomile, valerian root, lemon balm, and magnesium. This multi-pathway approach supports calm through several complementary mechanisms simultaneously.
Each ingredient is included at a clinically relevant dose — not the token amounts you'll find in many competing products. The single-serve sachet format is designed to start working within 20-45 minutes, and every batch is triple third-party tested in FDA-registered, cGMP facilities in the USA.
How Passionflower Compares to Other Calming Botanicals
Passionflower vs. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha works primarily through cortisol modulation (the HPA axis), while passionflower works through the GABAergic system. They complement each other well because they address different aspects of the stress response.
Passionflower vs. Valerian Root
Both interact with the GABA system, but valerian tends to be more sedating. Passionflower may be better suited for daytime use when you want calm without drowsiness. Together, they provide broader GABAergic support.
Passionflower vs. Chamomile
Chamomile's primary calming compound (apigenin) also binds to GABA-A receptors, but through a different binding site than passionflower's chrysin. Using both provides more comprehensive GABA receptor modulation.
Safety and Considerations
- Drowsiness: At higher doses, passionflower may cause mild drowsiness. This can actually be beneficial for evening use.
- Sedative interactions: Passionflower may enhance the effects of sedative medications, including benzodiazepines and sleep aids. Consult your healthcare provider if you take these medications.
- MAO interaction: Due to mild MAOI activity from harmala alkaloids, individuals taking MAOI medications should consult a healthcare provider.
- Pregnancy: Not recommended during pregnancy as some passionflower species may stimulate uterine contractions.
- Surgery: Discontinue at least 2 weeks before scheduled surgery due to potential sedative interactions with anesthesia.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly does passionflower work for anxiety?
Most people notice effects within 30-60 minutes for acute use. In clinical studies, significant improvements in anxiety scores were measured within 30 minutes of a single dose. Cumulative benefits may build over 1-4 weeks of regular use.
Can I take passionflower every day?
Yes. Clinical studies lasting 4-8 weeks showed no significant adverse effects with daily use. Passionflower does not appear to cause tolerance or dependence the way some pharmaceutical anxiolytics can.
Is passionflower safe to take with other supplements?
Passionflower pairs well with other calming ingredients like ashwagandha, L-theanine, magnesium, and chamomile. Multi-ingredient formulas like Anxiety Assassin are designed to leverage these complementary mechanisms.
Does passionflower help with sleep?
Yes. Clinical research shows passionflower supports improved sleep quality. It appears to help with both falling asleep and sleep quality without disrupting natural sleep architecture.
What is the best form of passionflower supplement?
Standardized extracts provide the most consistent dosing of active compounds. Look for extracts standardized to flavonoid content from Passiflora incarnata. Combination formulas that include passionflower alongside complementary ingredients may provide broader support than passionflower alone.
About the Author
The Mortals Team creates all-natural supplements with clinical-dose ingredients, manufactured in FDA-registered, cGMP facilities in the USA. Every Mortals product is triple third-party tested, vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Learn more at trymortals.com.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.