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Passionflower Side Effects & Safety

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Safety Profile

Overall safety rating: Generally Safe

Potential Side Effects

  • Generally well tolerated
  • Drowsiness (dose-dependent, can be beneficial for sleep use)
  • Dizziness (uncommon)
  • Confusion at very high doses (rare)
  • Nausea (rare)
  • Allergic reactions in people sensitive to Passiflora species (rare)

Drug & Supplement Interactions

  • Sedative medications (benzodiazepines, barbiturates) — additive CNS depression
  • Anticoagulants — passionflower may have mild antiplatelet activity
  • MAO inhibitors — some Passiflora species contain harmala alkaloids (P. incarnata has negligible amounts, but caution is warranted)
  • Anesthesia — discontinue 2 weeks before surgery
  • Alcohol — additive sedation

Maximum Dose

Do not exceed: 1,000mg extract/day (limited data above this level)

Full Passionflower Guide

References

  1. (). Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. DOI
  2. (). Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients. Anesthesia & Analgesia. DOI
  3. (). A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherapy Research. DOI
  4. (). Modulation of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system by Passiflora incarnata L.. Phytotherapy Research. DOI