Meta Information
ID:passionflower
Name:
Schema Version:2.4_uniform_evidence_2026_06_18
Created
2026-05-21T22:30:00Z
Model
phase-a-upgrade-claude-sonnet-4.6
Interactions
Target id:
/class/benzodiazepines
Target name:
Benzodiazepines
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Passionflower enhances the effects of GABA, the same neurotransmitter targeted by benzodiazepines, leading to excessive sedation, dizziness, and impaired coordination.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should not be used with benzodiazepines unless specifically directed by a physician.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Passiflora incarnata L., herba (P. incarnata) has shown anxiolytic and GABAergic activity that may mitigate withdrawal symptoms, while cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) targets maladaptive beliefs and behaviours sustaining BDZ misuse.
Label source:
PubMed: Synergistic Effect of Passiflora incarnata L., Herba and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the Management of Benzodiazepine Misuse. (PMID 41599739)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/opioid-agonists
Target name:
Opioid Agonists
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Both passionflower and opioids cause central nervous system depression, and their combined use can lead to dangerous levels of sedation and respiratory depression.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should not be taken with opioid medications due to the risk of severe drowsiness and respiratory depression.
Validation status:
unvalidatable
Evidence tier:
tier_e
Evidence basis:
unvalidatable
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Scientific literature support not found
Exact phrase from label:
Label source:
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/barbiturates
Target name:
Barbiturates
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Passionflower and barbiturates both enhance GABAergic activity, and their combination can cause profound and potentially dangerous central nervous system depression.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should not be used with barbiturates due to the risk of excessive sedation.
Validation status:
unvalidatable
Evidence tier:
tier_e
Evidence basis:
unvalidatable
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Scientific literature support not found
Exact phrase from label:
Label source:
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/procedure/surgery
Target name:
Surgery with General Anesthesia
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
336
Hours after target:
null
Description:
Passionflower's sedative effects can potentiate the effects of anesthetic agents, potentially complicating anesthesia administration and recovery.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
In outpatient surgery, administration of oral Passiflora incarnata as a premedication reduces anxiety without inducing sedation.
Label source:
PubMed: Anesthesia and analgesia (2008)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Our findings show that premedication with Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety as well as Melatonin. However, Melatonin causes less cognitive impairment compared to Passiflora incarnata.
Label source:
PubMed: Anesthesiology and pain medicine (2017)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
At higher doses, a sedative effect produced by acute administration of HE (600 mg/kg) or ME (300 mg/kg) was indicated by the potentiation of pentobarbital-induced sleep.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of ethnopharmacology (2007)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/condition/pregnancy
Target name:
Pregnancy
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Passionflower may contain compounds (harmala alkaloids) that can stimulate uterine contractions, posing a risk to the pregnancy.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should not be used during pregnancy.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Passionflower should not be used during pregnancy as it may induce uterine contractions and possibly lead to other problems.
Label source:
Anecdotal: NCCIH
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/circadian/sleep
Target name:
Going to Sleep
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
synergistic
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
1
Hours after target:
null
Description:
Passionflower's primary use is to promote relaxation and sleep onset through its effects on the GABA neurotransmitter system.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower should be taken 30-60 minutes before the intended bedtime for best results.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Currently available evidence suggests that herbal extracts may exert some of their hypnotic and anxiolytic activity through interacting with GABA receptors and modulating GABAergic signaling in the brain, but their mechanism of action in the treatment of insomnia is not completely understood.
Label source:
PubMed: Nutrients (2021)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Unlike conventional benzodiazepines, passion flower modulates the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system without causing significant cognitive impairment or dependence, making it an attractive option for mild to moderate anxiety management.
Label source:
PubMed: Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS (2025)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
The effects of PI-ME were antagonized by PTZ in both the staircase and open field tests implicating GABAergic mechanisms in its anxiolytic and sedative activities.
Label source:
PubMed: BMC complementary and alternative medicine (2016)
Action type:
separate
Target id:
/condition/lactation
Target name:
Breastfeeding (Lactation)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
The safety of passionflower during breastfeeding has not been established, and its components may pass into breast milk and affect the infant.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower is best avoided while breastfeeding due to unknown effects on the infant.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Little is known about whether it’s safe to use passionflower while breastfeeding.
Label source:
Anecdotal: NIH NCCIH
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/maois
Target name:
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Passionflower contains trace amounts of harmala alkaloids which have MAO-inhibiting properties, theoretically increasing the risk of adverse effects when combined with MAOI medications.
Actionable advice:
Passionflower is best not combined with MAOI medications due to a theoretical risk of additive effects.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Harmine is prominent in the leaves of the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Passiflora, and in Peganum and Banisteriopsis, the two preeminent "sacred" medicinal plants of India/pre-Islamic Persia/modern Iran and the Amazon respectively.
Label source:
PubMed: Medical hypotheses (2020)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
The flavonoid tricin-7-O-glucoside and the alkaloid harmane contributed to these biological activities.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of ethnopharmacology (2024)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/herbal-sedatives
Target name:
Other Sedating Herbs (e.g., Valerian, Kava, Ashwagandha, Chamomile) (Herbal Sedatives)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Combining passionflower with other herbs that have sedative properties can result in excessive drowsiness and central nervous system depression.
Actionable advice:
Caution is a good idea when combining with other sedative supplements to avoid excessive drowsiness.
Validation status:
unvalidatable
Evidence tier:
tier_e
Evidence basis:
unvalidatable
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Scientific literature support not found
Exact phrase from label:
Label source:
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/cns-depressants
Target name:
Relaxing Supplements (e.g., L-Theanine, Magnesium, Lemon Balm)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Combining passionflower with other supplements that promote relaxation can have an additive or synergistic effect on reducing anxiety and promoting calmness.
Actionable advice:
Consider taking with other calming agents like L-theanine or magnesium in the evening.
Validation status:
validated_via_class_inference
Evidence tier:
tier_c
Evidence basis:
class_inference_summary
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Established mechanism / class pharmacology (no single primary source quoted)
Exact phrase from label:
Pharmacodynamic inference: passionflower has GABAergic anxiolytic/sedative activity, so additive sedation/relaxation with other CNS depressants is plausible. Low-evidence but mechanistically coherent.
Label source:
Class inference
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/class/antihypertensives
Target name:
Antihypertensive Medications
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Passionflower may have a mild blood pressure-lowering effect, which could be additive with prescribed antihypertensive medications, potentially causing hypotension.
Actionable advice:
It is a good idea to check blood pressure if combining passionflower with blood pressure medications.
Validation status:
unvalidatable
Evidence tier:
tier_e
Evidence basis:
unvalidatable
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Scientific literature support not found
Exact phrase from label:
Label source:
Action type:
monitor
Target id:
/class/anticoagulants-antiplatelets
Target name:
Anticoagulants and Antiplatelets
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
There is a theoretical risk that passionflower could increase the effects of blood-thinning medications due to its coumarin content, although clinical evidence is lacking.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution, and it is worth monitoring for signs of bruising or bleeding when taken with blood thinners.
Validation status:
validated_via_fda_label
Evidence tier:
tier_a
Evidence basis:
fda_label_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Not all factors responsible for warfarin dose variability are known, and the initial dose is influenced by:
• Clinical factors including age, race, body weight, sex, concomitant medications, and comorbidities • Genetic factors (CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotypes) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.5)] Select the initial dose based on the expected maintenance dose, taking into account the above factors.
Label source:
Action type:
monitor
Target id:
/class/serotonergic-agents
Target name:
Serotonergic Medications (SSRIs, SNRIs, etc.)
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Due to its theoretical MAO-inhibiting properties, passionflower could potentially increase serotonin levels, raising the risk of serotonin syndrome when combined with other serotonergic drugs.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution, and it is worth monitoring for symptoms like agitation or confusion when combined with serotonergic medications.
Validation status:
unvalidatable
Evidence tier:
tier_e
Evidence basis:
unvalidatable
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Scientific literature support not found
Exact phrase from label:
Label source:
Action type:
monitor
Target id:
/class/cyp3a4-substrates
Target name:
CYP3A4 Substrates
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
In-vitro studies suggest passionflower may inhibit the CYP3A4 enzyme, potentially increasing levels and side effects of medications metabolized by this pathway. Clinical significance is unknown.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution when taking medications metabolized by CYP3A4, such as certain statins or calcium channel blockers.
Validation status:
validated_via_fda_label
Evidence tier:
tier_a
Evidence basis:
fda_label_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Monitor for symptoms of hypotension and edema
when amlodipine is co-administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Label source:
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/dietary/alcohol-acute
Target name:
Alcohol (Acute Consumption)
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
null
Description:
Combining passionflower with alcohol significantly increases drowsiness, dizziness, and impairment of motor skills and judgment.
Actionable advice:
Alcohol should not be consumed while taking passionflower.
Validation status:
validated_via_class_inference
Evidence tier:
tier_c
Evidence basis:
class_inference_summary
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Established mechanism / class pharmacology (no single primary source quoted)
Exact phrase from label:
Pharmacodynamic inference: passionflower's sedative (GABAergic) effect can add to alcohol's CNS depression, increasing drowsiness, dizziness and psychomotor impairment. Avoid combining before driving.
Label source:
Class inference
Action type:
informational_none