Purple passionflower helps treat neuropathic pain

A group of researchers from the University of Peshawar and the Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences revealed that the purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has potential use as a treatment for neuropathic pain. Their study, which was published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, looked at the pain-relieving effects of purple passionflower extracts on rodents with streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy.

• Neuropathic pain is one of the leading causes of death. It arises from damage either to the central or peripheral nervous system.
• The purple passionflower is commonly used as a traditional medicine for treating anxiety, insomnia, convulsions, cough, diabetes, asthma, addiction, and cancer.
• Previous studies have revealed that the purple passionflower is abundant in flavonoids, especially vitexin.
• In this study, the phytochemical content of purple passionflower extracts was determined along with its ability to ameliorate pain, reduce anxiety, and induce sedation.
• The researchers also observed the effects of the extracts on allodynia, which is pain caused by stimuli that do not typically cause pain, and vulvodynia, pain in the vulvar area.

Results of the study showed that the purple passion flower effectively relieves pain through a mechanism that involves opioids and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In addition to this, GABA was involved in reducing anxiety and inducing sedation. Lastly, the purple passionflower extracts also exhibited anti-allodynic and anti-vulvodynia effects. Overall, these results prove that the purple passionflower has potential use for treating neuropathic pain.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Learn more about the use of purple passionflower in treating neuropathic pain by visiting Cures.news today.

Journal Reference: 

Aman U, Subhan F, Shahid M, Akbar S, Ahmad N, Ali G, Fawad K, Sewell RDE. PASSIFLORA INCARNATA ATTENUATION OF NEUROPATHIC ALLODYNIA AND VULVODYNIA APROPOS GABA-ERGIC AND OPIOIDERGIC ANTINOCICEPTIVE AND BEHAVIOURAL MECHANISMS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 24 February 2016;16(77). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1048-6