Passionflower: Good for Anxiety and Seizures?

by Michelle H Smith

My son is a diagnosed epileptic.  He has seizures that are not as controlled by meds as I would like so my eyes are always open for new treatments.

While doing some research on natural remedies for anxiety, I stumbled upon some information about Passionflower.  I never heard of Passionflower being used for any sort of alternative remedy but it turns out Passionflower has a long history of use for those seeking relief from anxiety. It's also been used to treat insomnia and seizures.

Passionflower is something I am interested in my son trying for the seizures but will have to get some additional information. My baby is only 9 years old and even though his "traditional" doctor is cool with me trying alternative remedies, I need to make sure they don't interact with his other meds.  Also, the sided effects of Passionflower could include vomiting, drowsiness, and an accelerated heart rate. Even still, there's no risk of liver or kidney damage like with the anti-seizure meds my son is taking.  So, it is worth a try.

Interestingly enough, Passionflower is a natural remedy for anxiety that has been used for a very long time throughout America and Europe. It's believed that the herbs work by increasing the levels of a chemical in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (try saying that in one breath!).  This brain chemical relaxes the body, kind of a like a mini dose of valuum.