The benefits of Passion Flower
Passion Flower is an indigenous returning creeping plant found in the Southeastern parts of the United States known to occur all across Virginia and Kentucky, Florida and Texas. They return every year, budding and scattering across any medium they are given and are seen cropping up in dusty copses and open grasslands, waysides, hedgerows and wastelands.
Passionflower is safe to be eaten and also exhibits medicinal properties. The scrumptious fruit as well as flowers are edible in their naturally occurring form or made into jellies, jams. Freshly picked leaves are prepared as vegetable dishes or used in salads. Recent researches have revealed the flavonoids found in passionflower as the key elements accountable for their comforting and anti-anxiety essence. A few essentials found in the plant, like Apigenin, Luteolin, Kaempferol, and Quercetin, have been the subject for various studies which divulge its potential to provide remedial solutions to diseases like Parkinson’s disease, cancer, HIV, Leukemia, amongst others. The foliage and shoots are medically used in the form of antispasmodic, styptic, sudorific, soporific, narcotic, depressant, and vasodilator in addition to being used in the healing of some female complaints. Passionflower is often drawn on as an extremely fruitful substitute medicine in the handling of complaints relating to sleeplessness, nervousness, bad temper, neuralgy, bowel problems, premenstrual anxiety, and vaginal discharges. Alkaloids are also found in the plant in addition to flavonoids which produce a valuable non-addictive tranquilizing drug that does not induce sleepiness. It is a valuable herb in the treatment of epilepsy. However, it is suggested that pregnant women should refrain from using passion flowers as drugs. The dehydrated herb is also exported to Europe in large quantities due to its varied medicinal uses. (Jackson & Bergeron, p. 1).
Discovery of the healing properties of the plant in story
Martha wept and held her husband’s hand and said, “John, please don’t go. Make up some excuses and they may let you go.”
John said, “I have a duty towards my motherland which I must fulfill.”
“But you may not come back. What about your duty towards me, towards little James, your only son”, she said.
He smiled and said passionately, “I’ll come back. Somehow or the other I’ll come back for you and my son.”
All the men in the village were leaving for the border to join up with the army the next day. The country was fighting a fierce battle and the army needed reinforcements. It was the last supper Martha and John were having before he went to the battle.
The next day morning, when John was kissing his infant son and beautiful wife goodbye he gave his wife a strange-looking plant and said, “found it near the well and I liked the flower. I think you must plant it in the backyard garden, Martha. And remember what I said. No matter what, I’ll come back.” Martha said nothing taking the plant from his hand. Only silent tears rolled down her eyes.
The news came after a few days. They had won the battle, but alas, Martha would never celebrate the victory with John. She could never forget him, but whenever she looked at those strange-looking flowers in the backyard she had the feeling that John was watching her.
One day she fell terribly ill due to sadness and continuous weeping. Her now five-year-old son not knowing what to do picked up a flower and gave it to her. She inhaled it and found a strangely soothing sensation. And slowly and gradually she recovered. She understood there was something strange in that flower and started experimenting with it. Gradually she found many uses of the plant that helped her sustain herself and her child. Now she understood what John had meant by saying, “No matter what, I’ll come back”. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks once again and she said to herself softly, “Passion Flower”.
Works Cited
Jackson, Deb & Bergeron, Karen. “Passionflower”. AltNature Herbals Store. 2006. Wildcrafting.