Passiflora incarnata

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Passifloraincarnata

flower

fruit

Scientificclassification

Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiosperms

(unranked):

Eudicots

(unranked):

Rosids

Order:

Malpighiales

Family:

Passifloraceae

Genus:

Passiflora

Species:

P.incarnata
Binomialname

Passifloraincarnata
L.,1753

Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as maypop, purple passionflower, true passionflower, wild
apricot, and wild passion vine, is a fast-growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. A
member of the passionflower genus Passiflora, the maypop has large, intricate flowers with prominent
styles and stamens. One of the hardiest species of passionflower, it is a common wildflower in the
southern United States. The Cherokee in the Tennessee area called it ocoee; the Ocoee River and
valley are named after this plant, which is the Tennessee state wildflower.[1] This, and other
passionflowers are the exclusive larval host plants for the gulf fritillary and non-exclusive for
the variegated fritillary butterflies.[2]

Contents
[hide]

1Description

2Agricultural practices

3Medicinal use
o

3.1Efficacy

3.2Interactions

3.3Historical uses and folk medicine

4Substances

5Culinary use

6Cultivation
o

6.1Weediness

7Other potential use

8References

9Further reading

10External links

Description[edit]
The stems can be smooth or pubescent; they are long and trailing, possessing many tendrils. Leaves are
alternate and palmately 3-lobed and occasionally 5-lobed, measuring 615 centimetres (2.45.9 in).
They have two characteristic glands at the base of the blade on the petiole. Flowers have five bluishwhite petals. They exhibit a white and purple corona, a structure of fine appendages between the petals
and stamens. The large flower is typically arranged in a ring above the petals and sepals. They
are pollinated by insects such as bumblebees and carpenter bees, and are self-sterile. The flower
normally blooms in July.[citation needed]
The fleshy fruit, also referred to as a maypop, is an oval yellowish berry about the size of a hen egg; it is
green at first, but then becomes orange as it matures. As with other passifloras, it is the larval food of a
number of butterfly species, including the zebra longwing and Gulf fritillary. In many cases its fruit is very
popular with wildlife. The egg-shaped green fruits 'may pop' when stepped on. This phenomenon gives
the P. incarnata its common name.
The maypop occurs in thickets, disturbed areas, near riverbanks, and near unmowed pastures,
roadsides, and railroads. It thrives in areas with lots of available sunlight. It is not found in shady areas
beneath a forest canopy.[citation needed]

Passiflora incarnata June 2016 MS

Agricultural practices[edit]
P. incarnata is easily cultivated. The Maypop in the wild is an aggressive vine and native to the
Southeast extending into the central portion of the US reaching Illinois, Indiana, Ohio.[3] The plants grow
in full sun and need direct sunlight for at least half of the day. The best soils for P. incarnata are welldrained [4] but the plants tolerate occasionally wet and acidic soils. The plants have a high drought
tolerance. P. incarnata can be planted all the year in zone 711 (hardiness zone). The space between
two plants is 3660 inches (91.44 152.4 cm).[3] One to two years are necessary before they begin
bearing. Each flower has a very short life (about one day).[5] Then the fruit develops in two to three
months.[4] The harvest depends on vine size and age of the plant but one reported 1020 fruits per vine.
[6]
Seeds can be collected in the fall after the fruit has begun to shrivel . There are some problems with
nematodes and caterpillars in the culture of P. incarnata.[3] The flowers appear to be perfectly suitable
for bumblebee pollination. As the bees look for nectar the pollen filled flower anthers brush the back of
the bee and when the bee moves to the next flower the pollen is readily transferred to the central sticky
stigma.[5]

Medicinal use[edit]
Efficacy[edit]
One review found support for P. incarnata in anxiety disorders.[7] Other review found the evidence
insufficient to make any claims about health effects.[8]

Interactions[edit]
Possible interactions with following medications:

Sedatives

Antiplatelets and anticoagulants

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

P. incarnata may increase main effects or side effects of medications listed above.[9]
Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not use P. incarnata. The effects of the plant compounds on
reproduction or on unborn child have not been tested yet. The consumption of this plant may prejudice
the ability to drive and use machine.[10]

Historical uses and folk medicine[edit]

Thissectionneedsmoremedicalreferencesforverificationorrelies
tooheavilyonprimarysources.Pleasereviewthecontentsofthe
sectionandaddtheappropriatereferencesifyoucan.Unsourcedor
poorlysourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2015)
Historically, the plant been used as a herbal medicine to treat nervous anxiety and insomnia.[11] The
dried, ground herb is frequently used in Europe by drinking a teaspoon of it in tea. A sedative chewing
gum has even been produced albeit no sedative qualities have been noted, nor medical benefits beyond
placebo.[citation needed]

P. incarnata flower and bud

P. incarnata has been used to reduce hypertension.[12] Methanol extractions from the leaves has been
reported to be an effective antitussive in mice.[13]
After being brought to Europe, it became a popular remedy in herbology as a natural remedy for the
relief of mild symptoms of mental stress, anxiety nervousness, constipation, dispepsia, mild infections
and insomnia. "Today, passionflower is officially included in the national pharmacopeias of France,
Germany, and Switzerland and is also monographed in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia and the British
Herbal Compendium, the ESCOP monographs, the Community Herbal Monographs of the EMA, the
German Standard Licences, the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia, the Homoeopathic
Pharmacopoeia of the United States, and the Pharmacopeia of Egypt. In Poland, it has been prescribed
to cure disorders such as hysteria and neurasthenia. Presently, P. incarnata is commonly used in
phytotherapy as a mild sedative and anxiolytic. The botanical drugs included in the current European
and British Pharmacopoeias are the dried aerial parts of the plant".[12]

In North America it is used for the treatment of diarrhea, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea,
neuralgia, burns, hemorrhoids, insomnia, muscle cramps, hysteria, neuralgia, and as a pain reliever for
various conditions. P. incarnata is still used by Native Americans, for example Cherokees use the root of
the plant as topical antiinflammatory medicine. Tea made from the roots is used as a tonic for the liver
and for skin boils. The extracts of P. incarnata were also used for the relief of nervousness, abdominal
cramps and anxiety.[12]
In other parts of the world, P. incarnata is used for the treatment of partially different diseases. For
example, in Argentina and Mexico, it is consumed for its sedative effects, whereas in Brazil it is used as
an analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic, wormicidal and sedative. In India however, it has been
used to treat morphine dependence, but in Vietnam sleeplessness, anxiety and high blood pressure
have been treated with extracts from this plant. In the Middle East P. incarnata has again slightly different
applications, for example in Turkey, dysmenorrhoea, epilepsy, insomnia, neurosis and neuralgia are
treated with P. incarnata. But it has also been used as a sedative and narcotic medicine in Iraq. "In the
African countries of Rwanda, Kenya and Congo P. incarnata is used as a folk remedy by herbalists and
natural health practitioners for its sedative, nervine, anti-spasmodic and analgesic effects. In Australia, it
is commonly prescribed as a sedative and anxiolytic medicine .[12]

Substances[edit]
Some notable substances in P. incarnata are flavonoids, but also alkaloids and other phyto-constituents
can be found. [8]
Flavonoids are the main component in P. incarnata. They can reach up to 2.5% of the total content. The
greatest concentration of flavonoids has been reported to be in the leaves. Following flavonoids can be
found in P. incarnata: chrysin, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, kaempferol and isovitexin.[14] The flavonoid
chrysin is thought to be the main substance responsible for the sedative effect of P. incarnata. The
anxiety-reducing property is caused by the binding of chrysin to GABA-Benzodiazepinreceptors.[15] Little
amounts of alkaloids has been reported in P. incarnata (<0.005%). Examples for alkaloids
are: harmol, harmine, harmalol.[14] Other substances existing in P. incarnata includes mono- and
polysaccharides, amino acids and essential oils.[16]

Culinary use[edit]
In cooking, the fruit of this variety is sometimes used for jam and jellies or as a substitute for its
commercially grown South American relative Passiflora edulis the fruit is of comparable size and juice
yield, hence chilled maypop juice is a delicious treat in hot summer weather. The fruit can be eaten out
of hand and historically it was a favorite of colonial settlers of the South and Native Americans alike.
Today it is a very common plant growing in gardens in the American Southeast and parts of the MidAtlantic for this purpose as well as its showy violet flowers,[17] and still is a favorite of Cajuns, as
evidenced by their name for the plant: liane de grenade, or "pomegranate vine".

Cultivation[edit]
Weediness[edit]
P. incarnata can potentially become an agricultural weed. The gender Passiflora introduced for
agricultural purpose has been reported as an important weed in certain regions of the world.[18] This
plant is listed as invasive by the Department of Agriculture of the United-States according to these two
authoritative sources:[19] Weeds of Kentucky and adjacent states: a field guide[20] and Weeds of the
United States and Canada.[21]
Mechanical control as removing the suckers regularly is advised to prevent the spreading of maypop. It
is also recommended to train the vines onto trellis and fences to limit propagation.[18]

Other potential use[edit]

P. incarnata extracts can be potentially used to produce organic sunscreens with a protective defense
against UV radiations. The use of these plant compounds would diminish the concentration of synthetic
UV filters in sunscreens.[22]

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ "State Symbols". Tennessee Government. Retrieved October

24, 2011.

2.

Jump up^ Horn, compiled and edited by Dennis Horn and Tavia Cathcart ;
technical editor: Thomas E. Hemmerly ; photo editors: David Duhl and Dennis
(2005). Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians : the
official field guide of the Tennessee Native Plant Society. [Edmonton]: Lone Pine Pub.
p. 105. ISBN 978-1-55105-428-5.

3.

^ Jump up to:a b c https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp457

4.

^ Jump up to:a b http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_pain6.pdf

5.

^ Jump up to:a b http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MaypopFlowerBBee.jpg

6.

Jump up^ http://tcpermaculture.blogspot.ch/2012/03/permaculture-plantsmaypop.html

7.

Jump up^ Sarris, Jerome; McIntyre, Erica; Camfield, David A. (2013). "PlantBased Medicines for Anxiety Disorders, Part 2: A Review of Clinical Studies with
Supporting Preclinical Evidence". CNS Drugs. 27 (4): 301319. doi:10.1007/s40263-0130059-9. ISSN 1172-7047.

8.

^ Jump up to:a b Miroddi, M.; Calapai, G.; Navarra, M.; Minciullo, P.L.; Gangemi, S.
(2013). "Passiflora incarnata L.: Ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and
evaluation of clinical trials". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 150 (3): 791
804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047. ISSN 0378-8741.

9.

Jump up^ Ehrlich, Steven D. "Passionflower". University of Maryland. A.D.A.M.

Retrieved 22 November 2015.

10.

Jump up^ "Passiflora". European Medicines Agency. Retrieved 22

November 2015.

11.

Jump up^ Plants For A Future: Passiflora incarnata

12.

^ Jump up to:a b c d Miroddi,, M (2013). "Passiflora incarnata L.:

Ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety and evaluation of clinical trials". Journal of
Ethnopharmacology. 150(3): 791804. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047.

13.

Jump up^ Dhawan, Kamaldeep; Anupam Sharma (2002). "Antitussive activity of

the methanol extract of Passiflora incarnata leaves". Fitoterapia. 73 (5): 397
399. doi:10.1016/s0367-326x(02)00116-8.

14.

^ Jump up to:a b Dhawan, K., Dhawan, S., & Sharma, A. (2004). Passiflora: a
review update. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 94(1), 123.

15.

Jump up^ Peter, H., & Penzel, T. (2007). Enzyklopdie der Schlafmedizin. Berlin
Heidelberg New York Tokio: Springer.)

16.

Jump up^ Krenn, L. (2006). Aktuelles ber Passiflora incarnata. Zeitschrift fr

Phytotherapie, 27(01), 4750.

17.

Jump up^ http://triblive.com/lifestyles/jessicawalliser/7910056-74/vines-fruitshardy#axzz3UodI5qsV

18.

^ Jump up to:a b Mc Guire, C. M. (1999). "Passiflora incarnata (Passifloraceae): A

new fruit crop". Economic Botany. 53 (2): 161176. doi:10.1007/bf02866495.

19.

Jump up^ PLANTS Database. "Purple Passionflower". United States

Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 22 November 2015.

20.

Jump up^ Haragan, P. D. (1991). Weeds of Kentucky and Adjacent States: A

Field Guide. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-3369-0.

21.

Jump up^ Southern Weed Science Society (1998). Southern Weed Science
Society's weeds of the United States and Canada [electronic resource]. Champaign, Ill:
Southern Weed Science Society.

22.

Jump up^ Velasco, M. V. R.; Sarruf, F. D.; Salgado-Santos, I. M. N.;

Haroutiounian-Filho, C. A.; Kaneko, T. M.; Baby, A. R. (2008). "Broad spectrum bioactive
sunscreens". International journal of pharmaceutics. 363 (1): 50
57. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2008.06.031.