The Passion Flower & Perimenopause

The passion flower is used as an herbal medicine for a variety of ailments, including the inability to sleep, nervousness, seizures and stomach disorders. Because perimenopause can interfere with sleep and cause mood changes, passion flower may help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Note that the National Library of Medicines and National Institutes of Health warn that the U.S. Federal Drug Administration has not evaluated many herbal medicines for effectiveness, safety, proper dosage or interactions with other medicines and foods. Nor does the Federal Drug Administration regulate herbs and supplements. Whenever you want to use an herbal medicine or supplement, consult with your physician.

Properties

• According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, passion flower, or Passiflora incarnata, is known as a "calming" herb in the Americas and Europe. The dried aerial parts of the passion flower are used in tinctures, teas and supplements, usually combined with other calming herbs, such as valerian, chamomile, hops and kava. However, very few scientific studies have tested passion flower for insomnia and anxiety. Other names for the passion flower are apricot vine, Maypop, Passiflora, and Jamaican honeysuckle.

Perimenopause

• The National Women's Health Information Center defines perimenopause as the time before menopause plus the year after menopause when menopausal-like symptoms can occur. The time can be as long as 10 to 15 years before actual menopause, which is one year after your last period. Perimenopause varies among women, but it can begin at age 45; some women begin even in their 30s. Symptoms include changes in the pattern of menstrual periods--they may become shorter, longer, heavier or lighter; night sweats; hot flashes; difficulty sleeping; moodiness; inability to focus and hair thinning on the head.

Effectiveness

• The National Institutes of Health finds that although passion flower has a long history of use as a sedative and for anxiety, the evidence from animal and human trials remains unclear. It appears that passion flower possibly has some effectiveness in calming anxiety, inducing sleep and relieving muscle spasms. However, there is insufficient evidence to rate the efficacy of passion flower, particularly for treating insomnia, and further research is required.

Safety

• It is always best to talk to your doctor before taking an herbal medicine. According to the Physicians Desk Reference, do not use passion flower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you plan to use passion flower, tell your doctor about any allergies to medicines as well as medications and supplements taken for pain, sleeping, anxiety and headaches. Passion flower might interfere with other health problems, such as high blood pressure or blood vessel disease. The National Institutes of Health says that passion flower can cause drowsiness, so taking it along with other medications that can cause drowsiness compounds the effect. Because passion flower can affect the central nervous system, the National Institutes of Health recommends that you stop use two weeks prior to surgery.

Considerations

• Passion flower has traditional usage as an herbal medicine to treat a variety of disorders. The Federal Drug Administration has not established effectiveness, safety or a recommended dose. However, it appears that passion flower might bring some relief to the sleep problems and mood changes of perimenopause. Consult with your physician first.