Passion Fruit - Passiflora edulis

Detailed Description

A beloved herb for relief from anxiety, sleep issues, and mild pain.

Botanical Information

Passion fruit is a perennial, heat-loving species of passion flower, characterized as a climbing or trailing vine that becomes woody at the base. The stems can reach lengths of 10–15 meters. The skin of the fruit is about 3 mm thick and leathery. Passion fruit is mainly cultivated for its delicious and aromatic fruit. The leaves are trilobed and measure 15–20 cm long. Its flowers, 2–5 cm in length, are borne on individual stalks and are composed of five distinct sepals. Two crown-like structures above the petals feature additional 2–3 cm long petaloid filaments. The fruit itself is a round, or sometimes oval, berry reaching up to 10 cm in diameter. When ripe, its skin turns yellow or deep purple and wrinkles slightly. The interior is juicy, containing a large number of edible seeds.

Origin and Distribution

Passion fruit is believed to originate from an area spanning present-day Brazil, Paraguay, northern Chile, and southern Peru, with some theories suggesting its roots may lie deep within the Amazon, or that it represents an evolutionary intermediary. It was introduced by humans to Europe, Africa, and Australia, and now grows freely in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe where it is cultivated on plantations.

Usage / Dosage

Spanish explorers first discovered passion fruit in 1569 in Peru and were inspired by its flowers, which they associated with the Passion of Christ. They brought the plant to Europe in the 16th century, where it became highly sought after as a sedative, nerve tonic, and antispasmodic. By the 18th century, passion fruit was a fixture in North American folk medicine, introduced by enslaved people; it was commonly used for headaches, abrasions, and general pain relief. Physicians of the era prescribed passion flower for colic, dysentery, menstrual pain, epilepsy, eye diseases, muscular spasms, and pain in general.

In Australia and New Zealand, passion fruit is available fresh or canned and is used in fruit salads, desserts, ice cream, cheesecakes, vanilla biscuits, and a variety of fruit sauces. Since the 1920s, it has flavored the non-alcoholic beverage Passiona. In Brazil, passion fruit is a popular flavor for desserts and non-alcoholic beverages and is often used as a decorative garnish for cakes. In Colombia, three variants are especially popular. The Dominican Republic (where it is called chinola) uses it in juices, fruit blends, and as a fresh treat. In Hawaii, passion fruit flavors cakes, desserts, ice creams, jams, butters, marinades, and vegetables. Israeli cuisine uses it in frozen slush. In Indonesia, one variety is eaten fresh, while another is juiced and cooked with sugar to create a dense syrup. In Mexico, passion fruit is served fresh with lime and chili powder. In Peru, Puerto Rico, and Paraguay, it enriches cocktails and yogurts, while in Portugal, it’s a favorite for liqueur production.

Available research suggests that passion fruit can alleviate anxiety symptoms, sometimes comparable to prescription medications for similar indications. One publication reported reduced anxiety during withdrawal from addictive substances when combined with an antidepressant, lowering symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, sleep difficulties, and agitation.

Used in combination with other herbs (hawthorn, valerian, motherwort, kola, and guarana), passion fruit has shown to help reduce symptoms of an adjustment disorder—a temporary state during which individuals find it difficult to cope with a stressful life event. Several clinical studies note that drinking passion fruit tea one hour before bedtime objectively improves sleep quality.

The analgesic effects of passion fruit were first documented in 1897, while its sedative properties were scientifically described in 1904. Validated clinical data on its role in relieving spasms, anxiety, and hypertension emerged in the late 20th century. Studies in 2002 and 2003 on mice and rats confirmed its aphrodisiac effects, with additional benefits for sexual function, sperm count, and fertility. The FDA considers passion fruit "generally safe" not only for adults but also for adolescents and children.

Extracts of passion fruit, often in combination with other calming herbs, are available in various over-the-counter sedative preparations. Passion fruit or its oil is used topically as an emollient to hydrate and soften the skin (tolerance testing on a small area is recommended before broader use). Some dermatologists apply the extract to painful or inflamed skin lesions. Lycopenes in the fruit exhibit a protective effect against UV radiation, supporting skin protection from sun exposure or sunburn. Compounds in passion fruit have also shown a notable antioxidant effect (confirmed by EC50 testing).

Traditional Medicine

In traditional medicine, passion fruit is a favorite for addressing sleep problems. South American folk practices recommend its consistent use for digestive complaints, burns, hemorrhoids, asthma, heart conditions, elevated blood pressure, seizure disorders, and muscular pain.

In some countries, passion fruit is administered in myriad forms for insomnia, anxiety-induced digestive issues, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, and to ease withdrawal symptoms. In Latin American folk medicine, it’s used for pain relief, inflammation, edema, irregular heartbeat, and palpitations. Traditional Puerto Rican medicine values its ability to lower high blood pressure.

Folk remedies apply passion fruit for itchiness caused by insect bites, for eczema, or psoriasis. In Amazonian tribes, it’s used as a cardiac tonic and to relieve cough. Broths are given as a disinfectant, for expelling intestinal worms, and to manage cramps and pain.

Active Compounds

Passion fruit is composed of almost three-quarters water by weight, with high sugar content, about 2% protein, and very little fat. The fresh fruit is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, choline, folate, riboflavin, niacin, iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and fiber. 100 grams of fruit contains about 34 kcal. Passion fruit also contains carotenoids (such as lycopenes), fatty acids (up to 73% linoleic acid), and polyphenolic compounds.

Other significant constituents include alkaloids, coumarins, alanine, apigenin, harman, harmaline, harmalol, harmin, homoorientin, kaempferol, quercetin, pectin, proline, prunasin, sambunigrin, saponarin, saponaretin, scopoletin, arabin, chrysin, cyclopassiflovic acid A–D, cyclopassiflosides I–VI, edulan I–II, glutamine, gynocardin, loturin, isovitexin, isoorientin, isoschaftoside, schaftoside, serotonin, sitosterol, stigmasterol, passicol, orientin, nonacosane, diethyl malonate, flavonoids, lucenin, lutenin, luteolin, phenylalanine, and raffinose.

Traditional Dosage

The standardized fruit extract is dosed at 45 drops per day for generalized anxiety; some preparations recommend around 90 mg of extract daily in tablets (or the equivalent in grams of powdered fruit, per folk herbals). Interaction limits should be considered. Folk dosing typically suggests regular intake 2–3 times daily in small amounts.