Effects of Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis in the control of anxiety due to tooth extraction: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy of Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L. to control anxiety, surgical discomfort, and changes in vital signs of patients undergoing extraction of two unilateral third molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a randomized, triple-blinded clinical trial. Fifty-four patients were allocated into three groups (Valeriana officinalis L., Passiflora incarnata L., and placebo). Anxiety levels were assessed using the State-Trace Anxiety Inventory (STAI) index, surgical discomfort using the QCirDental, and through the measurement of vital signs. The surgical times evaluated were before (T0), during (T1), and after surgery (T2). RESULTS: There was evidence that both Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L., reduced STAY-S scores between T0 and T2 (p < .05), unlike placebo (p = .129). There was no change in surgical discomfort in all groups over time, and vital signs presented variable results. CONCLUSION: Phytotherapy drugs showed a reduction in anxiety state compared to the placebo group during third molar extraction procedure.  CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: klRBR-6kcxvrc, March 10, 2022.

Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study of Passiflora incarnata in Participants With Stress and Sleep Problems.

Background and objectives SIVI is a standardized extract prepared using the aerial parts of Passiflora incarnata developed to enhance the quality of sleep. ​​​​​​The objective of the present study was to the evaluate efficacy and safety of SIVI (Passiflora incarnata extract) in the management of stress and sleep problems in Indian participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study. Materials and methods A total of 65 participants with stress and insomnia were randomized to two groups with 32 in the SIVI (Passiflora incarnata extract) group and 33 in the placebo group. Subjects were asked to take the test substance along with water at bedtime for 30 days. The Perceived Stress Scale, quality of life using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) scale, and Insomnia Severity Index were assessed on day 1, day 15, and day 30. Results Passiflora incarnata extract showed a statistically significant reduction in the mean score of stress on the Perceived Stress Scale and significantly increased the mean score of total sleep time compared to placebo. The general psychological health was found to be significantly improved in the SIVI (Passiflora incarnata extract) group compared to the placebo group on day 15 and day 30. SIVI (Passiflora incarnata extract) did not show any adverse effects. Conclusions The results of the current study indicate that Passiflora incarnata extract is beneficial in the management of stress and helps to improve sleep quality in subjects with stress and insomnia.

Spectral characteristics of the flavones and anthocyanins present in passionflower (Passiflora incarnata).

Rich in antioxidants with a variety of flavones and anthocyanins, passionflower/fruit has been extensively used in food, beverage, medicinal, and natural dyes industries. The individual components present in passionflower are identified by extracting them in methanol, partitioning them between ethyl acetate and aqueous layers, and recording their ESI mass spectrometric data. The steady-state absorption and fluorescence spectra of the extract in methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide are recorded and the lifetime of the fluorescing species is reported. The pH dependence of the absorption spectrum confirms the presence of the anthocyanins.

Add-On Treatment with Passiflora incarnata L., herba, during Benzodiazepine Tapering in Patients with Depression and Anxiety: A Real-World Study.

Chronic and inappropriate benzodiazepine intake represents an important health and social concern worldwide. The aim of our study was to investigate the effectiveness of P. incarnata L., herba, in reducing benzodiazepine misuse in a real-world population of depressed and anxious patients in a long-term treatment with benzodiazepines. We conducted a retrospective naturalistic study on 186 patients undergoing benzodiazepine downtitration, 93 with the addition of a dry extract of P. incarnata L., herba (Group A), and 93 without any add-on treatment (Group B). Regarding the benzodiazepine dosage variation in the two groups, a repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant effect of time (p < 0.001), group (p = 0.018), and time x group interaction (p = 0.011). We found a significantly higher rate, i.e., of 50%, reduction in Group A vs. Group B at 1 month (p < 0.001) and at 3 months (p < 0.001) and complete benzodiazepine discontinuation at 1 month (p = 0.002) and at 3 months (p = 0.016). Our findings suggest the role of P. incarnata as an effective add-on treatment during benzodiazepine tapering. These findings highlight the need for further studies to better investigate the promising properties of P. incarnata in the management of such a relevant clinical and social issue.

Produtos fitoterápicos manipulados em um laboratório de manipulação no Estado do Paraná / Phytotherapeutic products handled in a handling laboratory in the State of Paraná / Productos fitoterapéuticos manipulados en un laboratorio de manipulación en el Estado de Paraná

As plantas medicinais foram os primeiros recursos terapêuticos obtidos pelos povos e há registros do seu uso em todos os momentos da História, por grande parte das civilizações. No Brasil, o uso das plantas medicinais é resultado dos conhecimentos de três populações: indígena, europeia e africana. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar a manipulação mensal de um laboratório de fitoterápicos na cidade de Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. Os dados que foram coletados para a presente pesquisa são: número de cápsulas manipuladas mensalmente para cada um dos fitoterápicos, os quais serão obtidos a partir dos relatórios de manipulação de fitoterápicos mensais no ano de 2021 e individuais de cada unidade de saúde, fornecidos pela Secretaria de Saúde. Não havendo acesso a informações de pacientes e tampouco contato com eles. As informações dos relatórios foram tabuladas em planilha a fim de se estabelecer os três principais fitoterápicos manipulados no período preestabelecido. Trata-se de um estudo de campo, exploratório, documental e retrospectivo. Observamos que a média de manipulação foi de 34.029 cápsulas por mês, os fitoterápicos mais manipulados no ano de 2021, foram: Passiflora incarnata (maracujá), Aesculus hippocastanum (castanha da índia) e Curcuma longa. Também foi possível notar que houve um aumento gradual de dispensações após a capacitação dos profissionais, ocorrida entre junho e setembro. Além disso, verificamos que há uma grande diferença na quantidade dispensada por cada farmácia municipal, possivelmente devido ao nível de conhecimento dos profissionais de saúde e se preferem ou não prescrever aos pacientes.

Medicinal plants were the first therapeutic resources obtained by people and there are records of their use at all times of history, by a large part of civilizations. In Brazil, the use of medicinal plants is a result of the knowledge of three populations: indigenous, European and African. The present work aims to characterize the monthly handling of a plant medicine laboratory in the city of Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. The data that were collected for this research are: number of capsules handled monthly for each one of the phytotherapics, which will be obtained from the reports of handling of monthly phytotherapics in the year 2021 and individual of each health unit, provided by the Secretariat of Health. There is no access to patient information and no contact with them. The information in the reports was tabulated into a spreadsheet in order to establish the three main phytotherapics handled in the pre-established period. This is an exploratory, documentary and retrospective field study. We observed that the average handling was 34,029 capsules per month, the most manipulated phytotherapics in the year 2021, were: Passiflora incarnata (passion fruit), Aesculus hippocastanum (chestnut from India) and Curcuma longa. It was also possible to note that there was a gradual increase in dispensations after the training of professionals, which took place between June and September. In addition, we note that there is a big difference in the amount dispensed by each municipal pharmacy, possibly due to the level of knowledge of health professionals and whether or not they prefer to prescribe to patients.

Las plantas médicas fueron los primeros recursos terapéuticos obtenidos por los pueblos y hay registros de su uso en todo momento de la historia, por una gran parte de las civilizaciones. En Brasil, el uso de plantas medicinales es el resultado del conocimiento de tres poblaciones: indígenas, europeos y africanos. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo caracterizar la manipulación mensual de un laboratorio fitoterapéutico en la ciudad de Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. Los datos recogidos para esta investigación son: el número de cápsulas manejadas mensualmente para cada una de las fitoterapias, que se obtendrán de los informes mensuales de manipulación fitoterapéutica en el año 2021 y el individuo de cada unidad de salud, proporcionados por el Departamento de Salud. No hay acceso a la información del paciente ni contacto con ella. La información contenida en los informes se tabuló en una hoja de cálculo para establecer las tres principales fitoterapias manipuladas en el periodo predefinido. Se trata de un estudio de campo, exploratorio, documental y retrospectivo. Observamos que la manipulación media fue de 34.029 cápsulas al mes, las fitoterapias más manipuladas en 2021 fueron: Passiflora incarnata (fruto de la pasión), Aesculus hippocastanum (castaño indio) y Curcuma longa. También es posible señalar que se ha producido un aumento gradual de las dispensaciones después de la capacitación de profesionales, que se llevó a cabo entre junio y septiembre. Además, vemos que existe una enorme diferencia en la cantidad que proporciona cada farmacia municipal, posiblemente debido al nivel de conocimiento de los profesionales de la salud y si prefieren recetarla a los pacientes o no. PALABRAS CLAVE: Fitoterapias; Farmacias Municipales; Curcuma Longa; Passiflora Incarnata; Aesculus Hippocastanum.

Short-End Injection Capillary Electrophoresis and Multivariate Analysis for Simultaneous Determination of Heavy Metals in Passiflora incarnata Tea.

An ultra-fast method for the simultaneous determination of heavy metals in Passiflora incarnata tea by capillary electrophoresis (CE) using a short-end injection combined with multivariate analysis was proposed. Separation was conducted by hydrodynamic injection (5 s at 0.5 psi) using the short-end injection procedure in a fused uncoated silica capillary (50 cm total length, 10.2 cm effective length, 50 µm i.d.) with separation time less than 2 min. An indirect UV detection at 214 nm was employed by using imidazole as a chromophore. The buffer used was 6 mmol/L hydroxybutyric acid (HIBA). The optimum conditions by full factorial with a central point were achieved by 18-crown-6 concentration (23.3 mmol L−1), voltage (+11.4 kV), methanol concentration (3.8%), and temperature (20 °C). The method showed good linearity (R2 > 0.998) for both Cd and Pb, inter-day precision of less than 14.49%, and an adequate limit of quantification only for Cd (LOQ < 0.5 µg mL−1 for Cd) based on the US Pharmacopeial Convention limit requirements for elemental impurities. After method validation, the method was applied to Passiflora incarnata tea samples from a local market. Furthermore, the developed method showed great potential for the determination of metals in other samples with proper sample preparation procedures.

A Folk Medicine: Passiflora incarnata L. Phytochemical Profile with Antioxidant Potency.

Objectives: Passiflora incarnata L., commonly called folk medicine declaredly used for an enormous range of therapeutic purposes, one such is antioxidant potency. The study prioritized to determine the phytochemical analysis of total phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins contents as well as the antioxidant properties through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) quenching assay, 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation decolorization test, superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assays of ethanol extract of P. incarnata leaves. Materials and Methods: The organoleptic characteristics such as color, odor, appearance, taste, and other characters such as drying range and fiber contents were analyzed as preliminary data. Analytical parameters like total phenolic content, total tannins, total alkaloid content, and total flavonoid with multiple antiradical scavenging activity (DPPH, ABTS, superoxide and H2O2 scavenging assays) with IC50 (µg/mL) in terms of inhibition percentage with various concentrations of the ethanolic extract studied. Results: P. incarnata possessed a high radical scavenging activity with a phenolic content of 2.48 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of extract in leaves, whereas the total flavonoid content was 2.1, respectively. Conclusion: High antioxidant activity was noticed in P. incarnata extract, in which might be of higher levels of flavonoids and phenols. Findings in the studies revealed that P. incarnata is a veritable source for antioxidant drug bioprospecting in scientific research and pharmaceutical industries.

In Vitro Metabolism of Six C-Glycosidic Flavonoids from Passiflora incarnata L.

Several medical plants, such as Passiflora incarnata L., contain C-glycosylated flavonoids, which may contribute to their efficacy. Information regarding the bioavailability and metabolism of these compounds is essential, but not sufficiently available. Therefore, the metabolism of the C-glycosylated flavones orientin, isoorientin, schaftoside, isoschaftoside, vitexin, and isovitexin was investigated using the Caco-2 cell line as an in vitro intestinal and epithelial metabolism model. Isovitexin, orientin, and isoorientin showed broad ranges of phase I and II metabolites containing hydroxylated, methoxylated, and sulfated compounds, whereas schaftoside, isoschaftoside, and vitexin underwent poor metabolism. All metabolites were identified via UHPLC-MS or UHPLC-MS/MS using compound libraries containing all conceivable metabolites. Some structures were confirmed via UHPLC-MS experiments with reference compounds after a cleavage reaction using glucuronidase and sulfatase. Of particular interest is the observed cleavage of the C-C bonds between sugar and aglycone residues in isovitexin, orientin, and isoorientin, resulting in unexpected glucuronidated or sulfated luteolin and apigenin derivatives. These findings indicate that C-glycosidic flavones can be highly metabolized in the intestine. In particular, flavonoids with ortho-dihydroxy groups showed sulfated metabolites. The identified glucuronidated or sulfated aglycones demonstrate that enzymes expressed by Caco-2 cells are able to potentially cleave C-C bonds in vitro.

[Literature research of Passiflora incarnata and discussion of its traditional Chinese medicine properties].

Based on the research literatures of Passiflora incarnata and the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the paper discussed the traditional Chinese medicinal properties of P. incarnate, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the compatibility and application of P. incarnata. The literature databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus were selected, and the literatures relating to P. incarnata were reviewed to screen out the scientific research literatures with a high credibility, rational design and reliable conclusions. Foreign pharmacopoeia was consulted, and the listed products were summarized. The traditional Chinese medicine properties of P. incarnata were studied based on 32 clinical trials, 66 pharmacological researches, 64 chemical constituents researches as well as the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. It was preliminarily concluded that the medicinal properties of P. incarnata are sweet, cool, and enter heart, liver channels. The function is mainly to calm the heart and tranquilizing the mind, and calm the liver wind. It is used for hyperactivity of liver-Yang, stagnation of liver-Qi, restlessness of mind, depression, nervousness, insomnia. This paper summarized the source, characteristics of natures, tastes and channel tropism, usage and dosage, function indications of P. incarnata, and defined its clear traditional Chinese medicine property, which lays a theoretical foundation for the compatibility and clinical application of P. incarnata and Chinese medicine.

Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the effects of Passiflora incarnata, Erythrina mulungu, and midazolam in controlling anxiety in patients undergoing mandibular third molar extraction. METHODS: The volunteers underwent extraction of their third mandibular molars in a randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, and parallel clinical trial. Passiflora incarnata (500 mg), Erythrina mulungu (500 mg), or midazolam (15 mg) was orally administered 60 min before the surgery. The anxiety level of participants was evaluated using questionnaires and measurements of physical parameters, including heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and oxygen saturation (SpO2). RESULTS: A total of 200 volunteers were included in this clinical trial. Considering each procedure independently, no significant differences (p > 0.05) in BP, HR, and SpO2 were observed among the protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Passiflora incarnata showed a similar effect to midazolam but differed from placebo and mulungu, which were unable to control anxiety in this situation. Therefore, the results suggest that Passiflora configures an herbal medicine with an anxiolytic effect, adequate to use in third molar extractions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of Passiflora incarnata may be an alternative to benzodiazepines for controlling anxiety in patients scheduled for oral surgery under local anesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov : ANSI-388.427.

Literature research of Passiflora incarnata and discussion of its traditional Chinese medicine properties / 中国中药杂志

Based on the research literatures of Passiflora incarnata and the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the paper discussed the traditional Chinese medicinal properties of P. incarnate, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the compatibility and application of P. incarnata. The literature databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus were selected, and the literatures relating to P. incarnata were reviewed to screen out the scientific research literatures with a high credibility, rational design and reliable conclusions. Foreign pharmacopoeia was consulted, and the listed products were summarized. The traditional Chinese medicine properties of P. incarnata were studied based on 32 clinical trials, 66 pharmacological researches, 64 chemical constituents researches as well as the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. It was preliminarily concluded that the medicinal properties of P. incarnata are sweet, cool, and enter heart, liver channels. The function is mainly to calm the heart and tranquilizing the mind, and calm the liver wind. It is used for hyperactivity of liver-Yang, stagnation of liver-Qi, restlessness of mind, depression, nervousness, insomnia. This paper summarized the source, characteristics of natures, tastes and channel tropism, usage and dosage, function indications of P. incarnata, and defined its clear traditional Chinese medicine property, which lays a theoretical foundation for the compatibility and clinical application of P. incarnata and Chinese medicine.

Passiflora incarnata in Neuropsychiatric Disorders-A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Stress is a natural response of the body, induced by factors of a physical (hunger, thirst, and infection) and/or psychological (perceived threat, anxiety, or concern) nature. Chronic, long-term stress may cause problems with sleep, concentration, and memory, as well as affective disorders. The passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a perennial plant with documented therapeutic properties. The literature data suggest that the passionflower itself, as well as its preparations, helps reduce stress and can therefore be helpful in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, and depression. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate Passiflora incarnata in terms of its neuropsychiatric effects. METHODS: The scientific databases PubMed, ClinTrials.gov, and Embase were searched up to 22 October 2019. The search identified randomized clinical trials describing the effects of Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders. RESULTS: The systematic review included nine clinical trials. The duration of the studies included in the analysis varied widely, from one day up to 30 days. Study participants were no less than 18 years old. In each of the papers, the effects of passionflower were measured by using a number of different tests and scales. The majority of studies reported reduced anxiety levels following the administration of Passiflora incarnata preparations, with the effect less evident in people with mild anxiety symptoms. No adverse effects, including memory loss or collapse of psychometric functions, were observed. CONCLUSION: Passiflora incarnata may be helpful in treating some symptoms in neuropsychiatric patients.

Sleep-inducing effect of Passiflora incarnata L. extract by single and repeated oral administration in rodent animals.

Social cost of insomnia in modern society is gradually increasing. Due to various social phenomena and lifestyles that take away the opportunity of good quality of sleep, problems of insomnia cannot be easily figured out. Prescription of sleeping pills for insomnia patients can cause other inconveniences due to their side effects beyond their intended purposes. On the other hand, Passiflora incarnata L. (PI) has been widely used in South America for several centuries, showing effectiveness for sleep, sedation, anxiety, and so on in the civilian population. However, reports on the treatment efficacy of this herbal medicinal plant for insomnia patients through standardization as a sleeping agent have been very rare. Therefore, we obtained leaves and fruits of PI (8:2 by weight) as powder to prepare an extract. It was then applied to C6 rat glioma cells to quantitate mRNA expression levels of GABA receptors. Its sleep-inducing effect was investigated using experimental animals. PI extract (6 µg/ml) significantly decreased GABA receptors at 6 hr after treatment. Immobility time and palpebral closing time were significantly increased after single (500 mg/kg) or repeated (250 mg/kg) oral administration. In addition, blood melatonin levels were significantly increased in PI extract-treated animals after both single and repeated administrations. These results were confirmed through several repeated experiments. Taken together, these results confirmed that PI extract had significant sleep-inducing effects in cells and animals, suggesting that PI extract might have potential for treating human insomnia.

Multiple Plant Growth-Promotion Traits in Endophytic Bacteria Retrieved in the Vegetative Stage From Passionflower.

Bacteria exhibiting beneficial traits like increasing the bioavailability of essential nutrients and modulating hormone levels in plants are known as plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria. The occurrence of this specific group of bacteria in the endophytic environment may reflect the decisive role they play in a particular condition. This study aimed to determine the taxonomical diversity of the culturable bacterial endophytes, isolated in the vegetative stage of passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), and assess its potential to promote plant growth by phenotypic and genotypic approaches. The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene allowed us to classify 58 bacterial endophytes into nine genera. Bacillus (70.7%) was the most dominant genus, followed by Pseudomonas (8.6%) and Pantoea (6.9%). A few isolates belonged to Rhodococcus and Paenibacillus, whereas the genera Lysinibacillus, Microvirga, Xanthomonas, and Leclercia were represented by only one isolate. The strains were tested for nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, indole-acetic-acid synthesis, and siderophore production. Moreover, PGP related genes (nifH, ipdC, asb, and AcPho) were detected by PCR-based screening. Most of the isolates (94.8%) displayed a potential for at least one of the PGP traits tested by biochemical assays or PCR-based screening. Nine strains were selected based on results from both approaches and were evaluated for boosting the Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) germination and growth. All tested isolates improved germination in vitro, and the majority (78%) increased growth parameters in vivo. The results suggested that most of culturable bacteria inhabiting P. incarnata in the vegetative stage could be used as probiotics for agricultural systems. Besides, their occurrence may be associated with specific physiological needs typical of this development stage.

A combination of melatonin, vitamin B6 and medicinal plants in the treatment of mild-to-moderate insomnia: A prospective pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Currently available pharmaceutical therapies for sleep disorders have significant side effects and dependence potential, thus necessitating the need for alternative treatment approaches. This study investigated the effect of a combination of melatonin, vitamin B6 and medicinal plants in patients with mild-to-moderate sleep disorders. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a 4-week, single-center, single-arm, open-label study conducted in 40 participants with mild-to-moderate insomnia, in Poland. INTERVENTION: Participants received Novanuit® Triple Action (melatonin, vitamin B6, California poppy extract, passionflower extract, and lemon balm extract) capsules per day for two weeks. OUTCOMES: Using a daily electronic sleep diary, information was collected on sleep quality (assessed on a 0-10 scale), total sleep duration, sleep onset latency, sleep-related daytime impairment, and safety of the study medication. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in sleep quality by the end of the 2-week treatment period, with mean sleep quality score increasing by 1.9 points from pre-treatment (5.4 points) to post-treatment (7.3 points). Similarly, statistically significant improvements were observed following treatment completion in sleep onset latency, total sleep duration, and sleep-related daytime parameters (p < 0.01 for all outcomes). Administration of the combination of melatonin, vitamin B6, and medicinal plants was associated with high compliance (39/40; 97.5%). No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that the combination of melatonin, vitamin B6, and medicinal plants may be beneficial in mild-to-moderate insomnia.

Improvement in neurogenesis and memory function by administration of Passiflora incarnata L. extract applied to sleep disorder in rodent models.

Recently, there have been reports that chronic insomnia acts as an insult in the brain, causing memory loss through the production of ROS, inflammation, and, Alzheimer's disease if persistent. Insomnia remains the leading cause of sleep disturbance and as such has serious implications for public health. Patients with Alzheimer's disease are also known to suffer from severe sleep disturbance. Meanwhile, vitexin is a key ingredient in Passiflora incarnata L (passion flower, PF) extract, which is known to help with sleep. This medicinal plant has been used as a folk remedy for sedation, anxiety and sleep since centuries ago, but the standardization work has not been done and the extent of the effect has not been clearly demonstrated. For this reason, we tried to test the possibility that repeated administration of PF could improve the memory by promoting hippocampal neurogenesis at the DBA/2 mice known have inherited sleep disorders, as well as preventive effects of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we found that vitexin, which is the main bioactive component of ethanol extracts from leaves and fruits (ratio; 8:2) of PF, confirmed the improvement of neurogenesis (DCX) of DBA/2 mice repeated PF oral administration by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot analysis. PF-treated group showed increased the neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus compared with that of vehicle-treated group, but the inflammation markers Iba-1 (microglial marker) and COX-2 were inconsistent between the groups. However, we found COX-2 signal is essential for hippocampal neurogenesis according to the additional IHC experiments using COX-2 inhibitor and pIkappaB have shown. In addition, although prescription sleeping pills have been reported to show significant changes in appetite and metabolic rate from time to time, no changes in the feeding behavior, body weight, metabolic rate and body composition of the animals were observed by administration of PF. Interestingly, we found that short-term oral administration of PF displayed improved memory according to the water maze test. Quantitative analysis of Tau protein, which is a marker of Alzheimer's disease, was performed in the SD rats and DBA/2 mice by repeated PF oral administration and pTau/Tau values were significantly decreased in PF-treated group than vehicle-treated group. In conclusion, our results suggest that PF lead high hippocampal neurogenesis in the animals even in inherited sleep-disturbed animals. The increased hippocampal neurogenesis functionally enhanced memory and learning functions by repeated PF oral administration. These results identify PF as a potential therapy for enhancing memory functions and prevention of Alzheimer's disease through actions on the hippocampus.

Patients' experiences attributed to the use of Passiflora incarnata: A qualitative, phenomenological study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus (Passiflora incarnata) was established as a medicinal plant in Europe in the middle of the 19th century. Since then, it has been used for the treatment of anxiety, sleep disorders and restlessness in Western European phytotherapy. This study provides insights into how Passiflora incarnata is currently used and experienced as a medicinal plant by German-speaking patients in Switzerland. AIM: This qualitative study aimed to explore patients' experiences and the values, views and interpretive processes that formed their perceptions of the use of an ethanolic extract of Passiflora incarnata. METHODS: A total of 8 patients participated in this exploratory, qualitative observational study. The patients filled in pre- and posttreatment questionnaires, kept diaries and were interviewed in a face-to-face setting. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics, qualitative content analysis, narrative inquiry and documentary methods were applied. RESULTS: This is the first qualitative study of patients' real-life experiences with an ethanolic extract of Passiflora incarnata. We identified three distinct types of patient biographical narratives attributed to different experiences when using Passiflora incarnata. Patients with type 1 narratives described moving from a performance orientation to resetting priorities and attaining calmness. Patients with type 2 narratives maintained a performance orientation while adopting calmness. Patients with type 3 narratives maintained a performance orientation and suffered from persistent illness. CONCLUSION: The distinct biographical narratives of the patients associated with their specific experiences of taking Passiflora incarnata provide an additional perspective on the use of Passiflora incarnata as a medicinal plant.

Chronic oral administration of Passiflora incarnata extract has no abnormal effects on metabolic and behavioral parameters in mice, except to induce sleep.

Although the number of prescriptions and dependence on sleeping pills are increasing, the associations with unexpected abnormal behaviors and metabolic diseases caused by the overuse of sleeping pills are not well understood. In particular, such as abnormal eating-behavior and the occurrence of metabolic disorders caused by psychological unstable states are reported. For this reason, herbal medicine, which has not had such side effects in recent years, is attracting attention as an alternative medicine/food for sleeping inducer. We have used ethanol extracts from Passiflora incarnata (PI) to steadily obtain positive effects on sleep and brain microenvironment. However, as mentioned earlier, sleep-inducing efficacy can only be used safely if the behavioral and metabolic abnormalities do not appear. Thus, in this study, we used Phenomaster equipment to continuously monitor the movement, feeding, water consumption, gas changes, etc. in C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days with PI extract group compared with the control group. Before sacrifice, differences in body composition of mice were also compared. Monitoring of 24 h/5 days through the equipment showed no change in PI-treated group in anything except for significant decrease in blood melatonin levels and activity after PI administration. Taken together, the statistically insignificance of any behavioral and metabolic phenomenon produced by repeated treatment of PI are not only expected to have an accurate sleep effect, but are also free of side effects of the prescribed sleeping pills. This study has given us greater confidence in the safety of the PI extracts we use for sleep-inducer.

Chronic oral administration of Passiflora incarnata extract has no abnormal effects on metabolic and behavioral parameters in mice, except to induce sleep / 한국실험동물학회지

Although the number of prescriptions and dependence on sleeping pills are increasing, the associations with unexpected abnormal behaviors and metabolic diseases caused by the overuse of sleeping pills are not well understood. In particular, such as abnormal eating-behavior and the occurrence of metabolic disorders caused by psychological unstable states are reported. For this reason, herbal medicine, which has not had such side effects in recent years, is attracting attention as an alternative medicine/food for sleeping inducer. We have used ethanol extracts from Passiflora incarnata (PI) to steadily obtain positive effects on sleep and brain microenvironment. However, as mentioned earlier, sleep-inducing efficacy can only be used safely if the behavioral and metabolic abnormalities do not appear.Thus, in this study, we used Phenomaster equipment to continuously monitor the movement, feeding, water consumption, gas changes, etc. in C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days with PI extract group compared with the control group. Before sacrifice, differences in body composition of mice were also compared. Monitoring of 24 h/5 days through the equipment showed no change in PI-treated group in anything except for significant decrease in blood melatonin levels and activity after PI administration. Taken together, the statistically insignificance of any behavioral and metabolic phenomenon produced by repeated treatment of PI are not only expected to have an accurate sleep effect, but are also free of side effects of the prescribed sleeping pills. This study has given us greater confidence in the safety of the PI extracts we use for sleep-inducer.

Pregnancy outcomes in psychiatric patients treated with passiflora incarnata.

Passiflora incarnata is marketed in many countries as anxiolytic herbal supplement. Herbal medicines are natural products, but it doesn't mean they are always safe, especially during pregnancy. Passiflora incarnata extract was not teratogenic in experimental studies. However, there are no data available on possible effects on human pregnancy. Here we report five pregnant women with depression and/or anxiety who used passiflora incarnata in pregnancy. We observed one pregnancy resulting in neonatal death, two pregnancies with premature rupture of membranes, two infants with meconium aspiration syndrome and one infant with persistent pulmonary hypertension. No birth defects and no growth or developmental abnormalities for the live born infants were reported at 6 months of age. This observation is important since there have been no human reports about the use of passiflora incarnata in pregnant women. Pregnant women exposed to passiflora incarnata should be monitored, unless further data are available.