Passionflower in the treatment of ADHD

Abstract

Background: Psychostimulants, as well as—secondarily—clonidine, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and SSRIs, have proven effective in the treatment of ADHD. However, phytotherapeutic agents such as chamomile, hops, valerian, or even ginkgo also appear to be effective in treating this disorder. There are, however, few systematic observations in this regard. For this reason, the effect of Passiflora incarnata on ADHD was investigated.

Method: Our 14-year-old male patient with a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD according to ICD-10 criteria was assessed using the Conners scales before and after 4 weeks of administration of Passiflora incarnata.

Results: Overall, the mean score improved markedly, as did the factors hyperactivity and inattention as well as impulsivity.

Conclusions: Despite the limitation that generalizing from a single-case observation is very difficult, the results of our observation suggest at least a supportive effect of Passiflora incarnata.