Posted on November 5, 2008 in Herb Health Benefits
Legend says that passionflower got its name from the Christian missionaries who first landed in South America. They became so enthralled by the beauty of passionflower that they linked the flower with the death of Christ. North Americans cultivated passionflower for its edible delicious fruit and for its medicinal value. Later on, the Europeans learnt about this herb from the Aztec of Mexico and used it as a sedative to treat nervousness and insomnia.
Health Benefits of Passionflower:
Listed below are some health benefits of passionflower:
- Relieves Stress and Anxiety: It is suggested that the presence of flavonoids in passionflower can sedate and calm our nervous system. This may help in giving relief from occasional anxiety resulting from stress.
- Treats Seizure: Experts suggest that the presence of flavonoid, Chrysin, can help in treating mild seizure activity by soothing the walls of the muscles. This may help in treating seizure.
- Treats Insomnia: It is believed that the alkaloids and flavonoids present in passionflower can help in treating insomnia by inducing restful sleep. This can particularly help in treating insomnia arising out of nervousness or stress.
- Treats Substance Withdrawal: Passionflower is considered an excellent herb for treating withdrawal symptoms from substances such as cannabis, alcohol, nicotine, etc. Passionflower may reduce craving for such substances by strengthening, soothing and calming our nerves.
- Relieves Pain: It is considered that the analgesic property of passionflower can give pain relief. Being a nervine, passionflower may give relief from headache, menstrual pain and neuralgia by reducing the perception of pain.
- Treats Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): It is believed that the antispasmodic property of passionflower can help in soothing the walls of the small and large intestine. This may help in relieving spasms of the intestine, thereby treating IBS.
- Treats Asthma: It is suggested that passionflower can give relief from asthma by soothing or calming the walls of the respiratory tract. This may help in relieving spasms, thereby treating asthma.
It is advisable to consult a healthcare professional before taking passionflower. Though passionflower is generally considered safe, it can cause dizziness, sedation and impaired cognitive functions. Pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers or those taking MAO-inhibiting antidepressant drugs may want to avoid passionflower.
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