Summary
Passion flower (Passiflora coerulea - Passifloraceae) is a vine native to Latin America. In Argentina, this plant can be found growing in the Northeastern provinces, in the so-called “Mesopotamia” region, in Cordoba and in the Plate River proximities. The infusion of leaves and flowers has been used traditionally in the treatment of anxiety and insomnia, although several other medicinal uses have also been recognized for this plant. Based on the ethnomedical data, most pharmacological and chemical studies have focused on understanding the effects of the extracts on the CNS, although some efforts have also been made in order to validate the spasmolytic activity claimed for this plant. The results obtained suggest that the flavonoid chrysin could be responsible for the anxiolytic activity described, mostly due to its structural similarity with other compounds that interact with GABA receptors.

Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina. Bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud / Jorge Alonso y Cristian Jorge Desmarchelier. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Corpus Libros Médicos y Científicos, 2015.