Exploring the Multifunctionality of Passiflora caerulea L.: From Traditional Remedies to Modern Applications
Source abstract
Abstract
Medicinal plants are well-known for synthesizing a wide range of bioactive compounds used mainly in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. The therapeutic use of Passiflora species in Europe began in the 17th century, but few studies have been carried out on Passiflora caerulea L. This is a versatile plant, an herbaceous climber, belonging to the Passifloraceae family. In the past, P. caerulea L. has been mainly used as a sedative agent, but in recent years, scientific studies have focused on exploring its functionality and pharmacological use. Phytochemical analysis has revealed several classes of phytochemical components, some of which have promising biological potential. Recent studies have confirmed the therapeutic potential of P. caerulea by demonstrating its in vivo anxiolytic and antistress effects as well as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, analgesic and gastroprotective activities. While these findings have been encouraging, there has been limited research conducted on the on the phytochemical profiling, biosafety and molecular mechanisms of the biological activity of extracts from Passiflora caerulea L. This review aims to summarize and analyze the recent scientific data on biological activities of Passiflora caerulea, including phytochemical profiling, mechanisms of action of individual compounds and potential therapeutic applications.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Medicinal Plant Extracts Effects · Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection · Seed and Plant Biochemistry
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Laboratory of Cell Biosystems, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Funding
Bulgarian Scientific Fund
References (65)
Show source-provided references
1. Natural products in drug discovery: Advances and opportunities10.1038/s41573-020-00114-z ↗
2. Pharmacological Activities of the Genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae): A Patent Review10.2174/1568026622666220819160923 ↗
3. Parham, S., Kharazi, A.Z., Bakhsheshi-Rad, H.R., and Nur, H. (2020). Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties of herbal materials. Antioxidants, 9.10.3390/antiox9121309 ↗
4. Medicinal plants in Brazil: Pharmacological studies, drug discovery, challenges, and perspectives10.1016/j.phrs.2016.01.021 ↗
5. Natural products as sources of new drugs over the nearly four decades from 01/1981 to 09/201910.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b01285 ↗
6. Advances in drug delivery systems, challenges, and future directions10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17488 ↗
7. Ansari, P., Reberio, A.D., Ansari, N.J., Kumar, S., Khan, J.T., Chowdhury, S., El-Mordy, F.M.A., Hannan, J.M.A., Flatt, P.R., and Abdel-Wahab, Y.H.A. (2025). Therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and their phytoconstituents in diabetes, cancer, infections, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders. Biomedicines, 13.10.3390/biomedicines13020454 ↗
8. Bioactive compounds profile, enzyme inhibitory, and antioxidant activities of water extracts from five selected medicinal plants10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.112448 ↗
9. Bioactivity-guided study of Passiflora caerulea L. leaf extracts
10. Silva, C.G. (2000). Tissue Culture and Phytochemical Studies of Podophyllum, Diphylleia, and Passiflora Species. [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Nottingham].
11. Ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Passiflora cincinnata Mast. reduces nociceptive and inflammatory events in mice10.1016/j.phymed.2018.04.052 ↗
12. The active compounds of Passiflora spp. and their potential medicinal uses from both in vitro and in vivo evidence
13. Phytochemistry, nutritional composition, health benefits, and future prospects of Passiflora: A review10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136825 ↗
14. Bandoni, A. (2021). Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of South America, Springer.
15. Scientific evidence of anticancer potential of medicinal plants10.1016/j.focha.2023.100239 ↗
16. Anticonvulsant properties of some medicinal plants: A review10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i2.14501 ↗
17. Gerasimova, A., Nikolova, K., Petkova, N., Ivanov, I., Dincheva, I., Tumbarski, Y., Yanakieva, V., Todorova, M., Gentscheva, G., and Gavrilova, A. (2024). Metabolic profile of leaves and pulp of Passiflora caerulea L. (Bulgaria) and their biological activities. Plants, 13.10.3390/plants13131731 ↗
18. Minteguiaga, M., Wallace, F., Basile, P., Ferreira, F., Olivaro, C., and Dellacassa, E. (2021). Passiflora caerulea L., Springer.10.1007/978-3-030-62818-5_32 ↗
19. Passiflora caerulea L. fruit extract and its metabolites ameliorate epileptic seizure, cognitive deficit, and oxidative stress in pilocarpine-induced epileptic mice10.1007/s11011-019-00501-5 ↗
20. Chemical constituents of leaves of Passiflora edulis10.1007/s10600-017-2227-5 ↗
21. Extraction, identification, and quantification of harmala alkaloids in three species of Passiflora
22. Beneficial properties of Passiflora caerulea on experimental colitis10.1016/j.jep.2016.09.002 ↗
23. Phytochemical profiles, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic cell lines activity of Passiflora caerulea L.10.13005/bpj/2575 ↗
24. Comparison of bioactive compounds content in leaf extracts of Passiflora incarnata, P. caerulea, and P. alata and in vitro cytotoxic potential on leukemia cell lines10.1016/j.bjp.2018.01.006 ↗
25. Nikolova, K., Velikova, M., Gentscheva, G., Gerasimova, A., Slavov, P., Harbaliev, N., Makedonski, L., Buhalova, D., Petkova, N., and Gavrilova, A. (2024). Chemical compositions, pharmacological properties, and medicinal effects of genus Passiflora L.: A review. Plants, 13.10.3390/plants13020228 ↗
26. Paniagua-Zambrana, N.Y., and Bussmann, R.W. (2020). Ethnobotany of the Andes, Springer.10.1007/978-3-319-77093-2 ↗
27. Ain, S.M., and Nakhooda, M. (2017). Clonal and Micropropagation, Elsevier. [2nd ed.].10.1016/B978-0-12-394807-6.00144-1 ↗
28. Ahmad, N. (2021). Meta-Topolin: A Growth Regulator for Plant Biotechnology and Agriculture, Springer.10.1007/978-981-15-9046-7 ↗
29. (2025, February 02). The POWO (Plants of the World Online). Available online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:321949-2.
30. (2025, February 02). PFAF (Plants for a Future). Available online: https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Passiflora+caerulea.
31. Production preference and importance of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis): A review
32. Passiflora incarnata L.: Ethnopharmacology, clinical application, safety, and evaluation of clinical trials10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.047 ↗
33. Botanical and phytochemical approach on Passiflora spp.—New nutraceutical crop in Romania
34. Analyses of Passiflora compounds by chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques
35. De Passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) pulp: A review on bioactive properties, health benefits and technological potential10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112626 ↗
36. Comparative metabolite profiling and fingerprinting of genus Passiflora leaves using a multiplex approach of UPLC-MS and NMR analyzed by chemometric tools10.1007/s00216-016-9376-4 ↗
37. Distinction of the C-glycosylflavone isomer pairs orientin/isoorientin and vitexin/isovitexin using HPLC-MS exact mass measurement and in-source CID10.1002/pca.820 ↗
38. Passiflora: A review update10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.023 ↗
39. Chemical Characteristics of Passiflora caerulea Sedd Oil and Residual Seed Meal10.3390/50300376 ↗
40. Preliminary phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of leaf and leaf derived callus extracts of Passiflora caerulea: An important medicinal plant10.30574/wjarr.2023.17.1.0009 ↗
41. Guha, S., and Majumder, K. (2019). Structural-features of food-derived bioactive peptides with anti-inflammatory activity: A brief review. J. Food Biochem., 43.10.1111/jfbc.12531 ↗
42. Bioaccessibility, in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of phenolics in cooked green lentil (Lens culinaris)10.1016/j.jff.2017.03.004 ↗
43. Yan, Y., Xia, X., Fatima, A., Zhang, L., Yuan, G., Lian, F., and Wang, Y. (2024). Antibacterial Activity and Mechanisms of Plant Flavonoids against Gram-Negative Bacteria Based on the Antibacterial Statistical Model. Pharmaceuticals, 17.10.20944/preprints202401.0115.v3 ↗
44. Assessment of Total Phenolic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities of Passiflora Species10.1155/2014/167309 ↗
45. Determination of the Antimicrobial Activity of Ethanolic Extracts of Some Passiflora L. Species, First Introduced in Azerbaijan10.33619/2414-2948/78/11 ↗
46. Cytotoxic potential of 14 Passiflora species against cancer cells10.5897/JMPR2019.6744 ↗
47. Toxicology evaluation and Antidermatophytic activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using leaf extract of Passiflora caerulea
48. Occurring Ligand for Benzodiazepine Receptors, with Anticonvulsant Properties
49. In Vitro Acetylcholinesterase-Inhibitory Properties of Enzymatic Hemp Seed Protein Hydrolysates10.1007/s11746-015-2779-0 ↗
50. Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES): Review of Recent Guidelines10.1007/s11882-018-0767-9 ↗
51. Anxiolytic effects of a passion flower (Passiflora incarnata L.) extract in the elevated plus maze in mice
52. Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.001 ↗
53. Melissa officinalis and Passiflora caerulea infusion as physiological stress decreaser
54. Chrysin reduces anxiety-like behavior through actions on GABAA receptors during metestrus-diestrus in the rat10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112952 ↗
55. Leggio, G.M., and Wang, C. (2018). Analogous β-Carboline Alkaloids Harmaline and Harmine Ameliorate Scopolamine-Induced Cognition Dysfunction by Attenuating Acetylcholinesterase Activity, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Mice. Front. Pharmacol., 9.10.3389/fphar.2018.00346 ↗
56. Possible Anxiolytic Effects of Chrysin, a Central Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligand Isolated from Passiflora Caerulea10.1016/0091-3057(94)90103-1 ↗
57. Roles for Intestinal Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi in Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Therapeutic Approaches10.1053/j.gastro.2016.10.012 ↗
58. Phytomedicine Testing of Perilla frutescens extract and Vicenin 2 for their antispasmodic effect
59. Effect of the fixed combination of valerian, lemon balm, passionflower, and butterbur extracts (Ze 185) on the prescription pattern of benzodiazepines in hospitalized psychiatric patients—A retrospective case-control investigation10.1002/ptr.6618 ↗
60. Huang, Z. (2025, February 02). Passiflora caerulea and Honey Peach Complex Juice and Preparation Method Thereof. CN 104738730 A. Available online: https://patents.google.com/patent/CN104738730A/en.
61. Yang, C. (2025, February 02). Sugar-Free Passiflora Caerulea Tomato Sauce. CN 104351743 A. Available online: https://eureka-patsnap-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/patent-CN104351743A.
62. Man, G., Nong, A., Chen, M., and Li, R. (2025, February 02). Making Method of Preserved Passiflora caerulea Linn. CN 103330042 B. Available online: https://patents.google.com/patent/CN103330042B/en?oq=.+CN+103330042+B.
63. Yi, S.-S. (2025, February 02). A Composition for Sleep Induction Comprising Passiflora incarnata Extract. KR 102240706B1. Available online: https://patents.google.com/patent/KR102240706B1/en.
64. Yi, K., Kim, K.H., Lim, K.-H., Lee, J.-K., and Kim, S. (2025, February 02). A composition comprising Passiflora incarnata L. Extract. KR 102293239B1. Available online: https://patents.google.com/patent/KR102293239B1/en.
65. Comparison of in vitro antioxidative activities of crude methanolic extracts of three species of Passiflora from greenhouse using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods10.2478/hepo-2019-0014 ↗