Passiflora Incarnata

NAT. ORD., Passifloraceae.



COMMON NAME, Passion flower.



PREPARATION.--The fresh leaves and flowers gathered in May are macerated

in two parts by weight of alcohol. A preparation may also be made from

the expressed juice of the fresh leaves.



(There has been so much written concerning this unproved

remedy that we can only give an abstract of a part of it.

Dr. Lindsay, formerly of Bayou Gras, La., was the first

to call attention to it a few weeks before his death. He

wrote in answer to an inquiry as follows--Hale's New

Remedies):



I have much to say. I am satisfied it is no narcotic. It never stupefies

or overpowers the senses. A patient under its full influence may be

wakened up, and he will talk to you as rationally as ever he did; leave

him a moment and he will soon be off to the Elysian Fields again. I have

tried it, my friend, in all sorts of neuralgic affections, and have

usually astonished my more enlightened patients with it. Many times I

have had them to ask me what in the world it was that had such a sweet

influence over them.



(Dr. L. Phares, of Newtonia, Miss., states):



I never saw anything act so promptly in erysipelas. I have used it with

advantage in ulcers, neuralgias and tetanus. I have seen wonderful

effects of it in relieving tetanus, and will mention one case from

memory: Some ten years ago I was called to see an old lady, in a distant

part of the country, who was reported to be "having fits." I found her

to be able to be up most of the time, but, while examining her,

convulsions came on, affecting mainly the trunkal muscles, and drawing

the head back. I gave her instantly a dose of Passiflora. The

convulsions subsided, and she has never had one since. I continued the

use of the medicine in small doses for a few days. I have used it in

treating tetanus in horses--a disease usually considered as inevitably

fatal to that noble animal. It has never failed to cure the horse. * *

During the late war, my son, Dr. J. H. Phares, had occasion many times

to prescribe the Passiflora for tetanus in horses, with one invariable

result--prompt, perfect, permanent cure. He fortunately saw no case in

man. * * * Since the foregoing was written, I have treated with the

hydro-alcoholic extract of Passiflora several cases of neuralgia, and

one of sleeplessness, with incessant motion and suicidal mania. With the

same extract during the current week, Dr. J. H. Phares has treated, with

the most prompt and satisfactory success, a very virulent and hopeless

case of tetanus, with ophisthotonos, trismus and convulsions, in a child

two years old. Other most potent remedies, in heroic doses, having

failed to produce any effect in this case, he thinks that nothing but

the Passiflora could possibly have saved the child.



(The editor of the California Medical Journal (1889)

says):



We have been employing it [Passiflora] in some cases of spinal

meningitis after the acute symptoms had subsided, when the patients were

unable to sleep, either day or night: could not endure the bed, and were

unable to maintain the sitting posture, with highly satisfactory

results. It is administered in small doses. Add ten drops of the mother

tincture (Homoeopathic) to half a tumbler of water; teaspoonful every

two hours.



(At the meeting of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of

Delaware and Peninsula, November 14, 1889, Dr. W. D. Troy

read a paper on Passiflora (see Homoeopathic

Recorder, May, 1890), from which we take the following):



My erysipelatous case was a man of some fifty years. When first seen was

a-bed, high fever, facial erysipelas of the flaming, rampant sort, the

one eye had disappeared, the other was in rapid retreat. Patient in

great anxiety; sharp, stinging pains; could not rest. Was about to give

Apis when I thought of my Passion flower. Gave two-drop doses of the

tincture every two hours. Put one-half an ounce of same into one quart

of water for local application, to be applied hot by flannels and oiled

silk. After six hours patient fell asleep; was awakened for medicine

every three hours during the night; went to sleep easily after each

dose. Said in morning he had had a night's good rest. Found inflammation

markedly reduced. I now changed the remedy--gave Ham., both internally

and externally. On next visit found patient every way worse. The disease

had sneaked across the scalp and invaded the whole face. The case began

to look serious. Returned to the Passiflora and kept to it with the

most happy results.



My next experience was in a Chorea--a girl budding into womanhood, but

in whom the menses had not yet appeared. Child was well developed for

her years, fourteen. I learned that for two or three years past the

child had "fits," varying at times from moderate to severe. The neurosis

was unilateral, the right side alone being affected. The child had had

traditional treatment, "off and on," for some time without manifest

improvement. I began with the Passiflora 1x dil., 10 gtt. doses every

three hours. Kept it up for several days, the Choreic symptoms being not

quite so violent; still I was growing anxious--wanted more positive

results. Added daily a five-drop dose of tincture. After a few more days

the mother informed me that there had been a slight "show"--merely

enough to stain the diaper, and that for the last two days there had

been hardly any "fits." This was encouraging. I judged that the day of

deliverance was nigh. Very little more of the drug was given until about

the time for next menstrual flux. Then I resumed it with the most

satisfactory results. No nervous symptoms save such as are more or lest

common to all women at the "periods" subsequently prevailed.



(The following case was reported by Dr. D. C. Buell

Dunlevy, of Port Chester, N. Y.--Homoeopathic

Recorder, Nov., 1890):



Mr. D----, aet. 52, sent for me to attend him during the month of May. I

found him presenting all the prodromal symptoms of delirium tremens, and

at once ordered him to bed, and none too soon, as the event proved. For

seven days he tossed about in a wild delirium, which was greatly

aggravated by marked gastric irritation. I had him carefully watched,

both day and night, until the delirium wore off. The treatment up to

this time was Cannabis Ind. for the mental trouble and Nux v., which

greatly relieved the gastric symptoms. But the moment he began to

improve the old cravings for liquor and morphine returned. Right here

let me say that for years he has been a great sufferer from piles, and

the only rest he could get was to sit propped up in his chair. His

sufferings caused him to seek relief during the day in liquor, and at

nights in morphine. And this habit had so fastened itself upon him that

try as he might he could not give it up. When he came under my treatment

I at once put a stop to all stimulants and narcotics, but not without

considerable trouble, for he seemed determined to have them. Night after

night he would lie there calling for something to make him sleep, and

this kept up until he was bordering on a state of insanity. Fully

realizing that something must be done, and that quickly, too, I made up

my mind to try Passiflora. This I did, and from the time I gave him

the first dose improvement set in and has continued ever since. I at

first gave him a half teaspoonful of the [Greek: theta] at bed time, but

this not proving sufficient I increased it to a teaspoonful. He has now

been taking it almost constantly for a period of eight weeks and claims

he has not had as natural a sleep for years; and lays particular stress

on the fact that when he awakes in the morning he feels so refreshed and

his mind remains clear. But what seems even more wonderful is that from

the day he first took this drug up to the present he has never felt the

slightest desire to return to his former habits. The mere mention of

liquor or opium seems to sicken him, and I am fully satisfied that he is

now cured and will (so far as liquor and opium are concerned) remain so.

He now takes special delight in praising the drug to his friends, and

really seems never to tire talking about the wonderful help it has been

to him. I have also prescribed the drug to others for insomnia and

always with success, one case excepted, in which I gave it for

hemicrania, and here, although it quieted the patient, it failed to

produce the desired sleep.



(The following is extracted from a paper on Passiflora,

by Dr. C. A. Walters, of Brooklyn. Homoeopathic

Recorder, July, 1890:)



In April, 1888, was called to an infant, 14 months, convulsions, caused

by dentition; symptoms called for Belladonna, of which the 1x dil., 5

drops in half a glass water, teaspoonful every fifteen minutes until

better, then once an hour. The child improved from start, and the

convulsions ceased in one hour from commencing the medicine. The next

day the child appeared in usual health, and the Belladonna was given

once in eight hours and discharged from further attendance.



Thirty-six hours after I was recalled, the child was in another spasm.

No Belladonna symptoms being present I gave 5 drops of Passiflora

tincture, every fifteen minutes, with the result that it never had

another spasm from that day to this. The child slept soundly all through

the night and awoke the next morning in its usual good health.



Since then I have prescribed it for the sleeplessness of dentition

without a failure, giving it usually in from 5 to 10 drops a dose, to be

repeated every fifteen minutes until sleep. I never give it during the

day for this purpose, but begin at bedtime.



In the insomnia of adults, from whatsoever cause, I always give 60 drops

at bedtime, and if not asleep in half an hour I give the same dose.



Experience has taught me that to give it in smaller doses is a waste of

time and disappointing to the patient. Two such doses, i. e., 60 drops

a dose, are almost absolutely sure of giving the patient a natural and

refreshing sleep. The old school seem to have been forced to resort to

Sulfonal (whatever that may be) as the only thing capable of producing

sleep, and yet, judging from the reports in their journals, it does not

seem to "fill the bill." Were they ever to give this a trial we would

not hear so much of Morphine, Chloral, Bromides, and the like.



I have never used Passiflora in erysipelas, having always been able to

discharge my patients in from two to four days by giving them

Jaborandi.



In neuralgia and headache it has acted with wonderful rapidity, even the

headache of uterine displacements being brought under its influence. It

is almost a daily occurrence to have people whom I never saw before come

miles to my office for that "sleeping medicine made from the passion

flower."



In conclusion let me say to the brethren, try it. But give it in

appreciable doses. Don't be afraid of it. I would not hesitate to give

it in four drachm doses, if required. But why give four when one will

do?



P. S.--Since writing the foregoing I have used Passiflora in two cases

of delirium tremens. It acted like a charm in both cases; sent them to

sleep in half an hour, and when they awoke, twelve and fourteen hours

after, they were themselves again. Sixty drops of tincture a dose, two

doses in each.



(The following was reported by Dr. Joseph Adolphus, in

American Medical Journal:)



A lady who had for several months suffered untold agonies, as she

described her sufferings; her pain was described as if a weight of many

pounds was lying on her brain; the sense of pressure and tearing inside

the skull was fearful; her head felt as if enveloped in ice; the pains

ran down the back of her neck, and finally reached the lower end of

sacrum, so that a slight touch of the coccyx caused exquisite agony.

This was a case in which coccygodinia was associated with the cerebral

and spinal disease. I failed to relieve the pain for more than a few

hours at a time with all other remedies I had tried; at this juncture,

when despair was taking the place of hope, I thought of Passiflora,

which I then administered in teaspoonful doses every two hours; the

result was something to be remembered, for she enjoyed excellent and

refreshing night's rest the following night, waking up in the morning

much refreshed, nearly free from pain, with a good relish for breakfast.

I continued the medicament every four hours for several days, for no

further uses for medicine seemed indicated, as there was a rapid and

complete recovery.



A lady complained of pain in her rectum continuously; the coccyx was

also quite tender to the touch. There were several erosions on the lips

of the os uteri; leucorrhoea and severe pain in the small of the back

when a certain spot (over last dorsal and first and second lumbar

vertebrae) was pressed on. I found she had been treated secundum artem

for the uterine trouble, locally and constitutionally, to no certain

satisfactory result. Her respirations were often twenty-eight to thirty

per minute, much wakefulness, and at times feeling of constriction

across her breast and a sense as if her heart would stop beating.

Teaspoonful doses of the Passiflora incar. was the specific in her

case. She continued it every four hours two weeks, but from the outset

of treatment she felt the right remedy was administered.



These rectum troubles in women are frequently met with in practice. I

find the Passiflora incar. the best single remedy I have for them.



Recently a man consulted me for a constant pain in his heart; he

described it as sharp and like a pang--often causing a sense of

immediate dissolution, and fear of death was on him all the time; pulse

irregular in rhythm, now rapid, next slower, occasionally a beat

missing; sounds very normal, but accentuated and sharp. Passiflora

incarnata was a specific in this case; no doubt the center and probably

the local ganglia were irritated from some cause, and, whatever it was,

the medicament removed both.



By the way, I must not forget to say you will find it a valuable

medicament in sleeplessness and tossing restlessness in your fever

patients. I use the tincture in teaspoonful doses every four hours. It

appears the remedy has a soothing effect on the whole nervous system,

without any appreciable narcotic properties.



(From the Transactions of the Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting

of the Maine Homoeopathic Medical Society we take the

following from a paper by Dr. A. I. Harvey on

Passiflora:)



It does no good where the inability to sleep is due to pain or distress

of any kind; but in cases where we find that the nervous erethism is not

controlled by the action of Coffea, Opium, Sulphur, or other

apparently indicated remedy. Passiflora is in its place as a

succedaneum for Morphia or other sedatives. The dose varies from ten

drops to one dram of the tincture, according to the age of the patient.

I do not hesitate, in the case of an adult, to give dram doses of the

tincture every hour until the patient sleeps, and have seen it act in

the happiest manner in restoring the rhythm of the heart's action, when

that organ has been deranged in its movements by the combined effects of

exhaustion and loss of sleep.



Passiflora has also given me much aid in a case of morphine habit of

six years' standing, which I cured wholly and entirely by the use of

this remedy. It is recommended in the above mentioned doses for delirium

tremens, trismus, tetanus and kindred diseases of the nervous system,

repeated every hour or half-hour until relief is obtained. The remedy

leaves no after effects, is incapable of creating an appetite, and, so

far as my observation extends, it is perfectly harmless even in large

doses, often repeated.



(Dr. Scudder claimed that the one great indication for

Passiflora in all cases is a clean tongue; when the

tongue is foul the remedy will do no good.)