The number of people, both old and young, inflicted with insomnia is on the rise, due to stress, environment, etc. Many medicate themselves and have become dependent on sleeping pills, some even fall into depression.
Can sleeping pills really help you get better sleep?
According to Pharmacist Nguyen Thanh Xuan, the Center for Central Vietnam Research & Production of Medicinal Plants, sleeping pills slow down the nervous system, putting the body into a sleepy state. They might work at first, but overuse can damage the brain, because by nature they work by bringing about “forced” sleep. Consequently, mental issues will become increasingly common, and the user will likely get mood disorders, anxiety, prolonged stress, even depression.
Pharmacist Nguyen Thanh Xuan: “If people with insomnia caused by depression use sedatives, it would worsen the condition.”
How passiflora incarnata cure insomnia?
Insomnia can be caused by various reasons such as anxiety, stress, life environment, diet, or use of stimulants (tea, coffee), etc. Therefore, when early signs of insomnia appear, you should first adjust your lifestyle and use “natural sedatives” such as lotus plumule, herba passiflorae leaves. However, even herbs should be used correctly to get desired result.
Passion fruit is very similar to passiflora incarnata, but does not belong to the passiflora genus, and when used, does not produce any effect on sleep quality
Pharmacist Nguyen Thanh Xuan shared: people have been using herba passiflorae’s stems and leaves as sedatives for years to reduce anxiety and stress. However, herba passiflorae have many kinds, and many people use the wrong kind or purchase those of unknown origin on the market without any medicinal property, so the treatment is not effective. That is not to mention, untraceable herba passiflorae offered on the market not grown, harvested and preserved according to any standard will likely have toxic fungus which would harm the body upon consumption.
Notably, many people mix up passion fruit and passiflora incarnata because of their similar looks. However, passion fruit does not belong to the passiflora genus, and when used, does not have any effect on insomnia.
Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Huong – Project Officer at Biotrade – a project to promote clean medicinal plants funded by the European Union said: Vietnameses often use a domestic kind of herba passiflorae called passiflora foetida, which does not have as strong medicinal properties as the foreign herba passiflorae scientifically named passiflora incarnata. Other countries have been using passiflora incarnata for a long time, which have been confirmed by multiple studies to have strong sedative power.
A study conducted by a group of researchers at Ho Chi Minh Ginseng & Medicinal Plant Center had shown that liquid extract from passiflora incarnate leaves gotten at the Center for Central Vietnam Research & Production of Medicinal Plants had the effect of prolonging sleep, and treating insomnia effectively.
Til date, the Center is the only place in Vietnam which has succeeded in growing passiflora incarnata. The Center has collaborated with France’s Medicinal Plant Institute to bring the passiflora incarnata seedlings to Vietnam and grow in Phu Yen. After years of research, the center had perfected a cultivating process suitable for Phu Yen climate, producing plants with a high concentration of active elements, enabling better sleep for insomniac.
Ms Huong also noted that with the common method of stewing and drinking passiflora incarnata stems and leaves, people cannot measure the amount of active elements consumed, which can easily lead to under-dose or over-dose. Moreover, this method cannot make the most use of the different active elements in the plant.
Ms. Huong advised insomniac to purchase products made from passiflora incarnata with European BioTrade certification. Because these products are safe, with clean seedlings, clean water, clean soil, clean cultivating and harvesting process, and are produced in certified factory. The consumers should do their research, check product origin, examine the information about product certification printed on the package. Herbal tea made from certified plants will have the BioTrade label.
HerbEco Passiflora Incarnata Tea
Passiflora incarnata have been very popular in Europe, especially the United Kingdom. It is considered to be among the most commonly-used herbs and often been found in various drugs as a mild painkiller.
With that understanding, HerbEco had launched the HerbEco Passiflora Incarnata Tea, 100% made from passiflora incarnata leaves, with sedative, anti-depressant, and stress-reducing properties.
Most of herba passiflorae tea on the market is made from domestic herba passiflorae (passiflora foetida). Only HerbEco Passiflora Incarnata Tea is made from imported passiflora incarnata.
With a standardized process, a GACP-WHO certified cultivation area, a ISO 22000 certified factory, HerbEco hopes to provide a source of clean medicinal plants to Vietnamese consumers.