Review of Herbal Medicines for the Treatment of Depression

Abstract

Depression, a mental illness that is receiving increasing attention, is caused by multiple factors and genes and adversely affects social life and health. Several hypotheses have been proposed to clarify the pathogenesis of depression, and various synthetic antidepressants have been introduced to treat patients with depression. However, these drugs are effective only in a proportion of patients and fail to achieve complete remission. Recently, herbal medicines have received much attention as alternative treatments for depression because of their fewer side effects and lower costs. In this review, we have mainly focused on the herbal medicines that have been proven in clinical studies (especially randomized controlled trials and preclinical studies) to have antidepressant effects; we also describe the potential mechanisms of the antidepressant effects of those herbal medicines; the cellular and animal model of depression; and the development of novel drug delivery systems for herbal antidepressants. Finally, we objectively elaborate on the challenges of using herbal medicines as antidepressants and describe the benefits, adverse effects, and toxicity of these medicines.

Herbs Used to Treat Depression: An Updated Review

“…It is sometimes referred to as an adaptogen plant or golden root. 3,9 It has been utilized as a physical and mental enhancer in traditional medicine. Using behavioral tests on rats, Mattioli et al demonstrated the antidepressant efficacy of Rhodiola rosea extract (10-20 mg/kg, PO for 3 weeks).…”

“…3 In the depression-like behavior paradigm, the psychopharmacological mechanisms of RL were mostly associated with inhibition of monoamine oxidase A, modification of 5-HT content, and increased neuronal quantity and proliferation in depressed rats and mice. 9 . A notable recovery was shown in the Rhodiola roseatreated group compared with the placebo group in a phase III clinical trial that was randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled, and used Rhodiola rosea extract (340-680 mg/day) for mild to moderate depression.…”

“…Consequently, herbal remedies have garnered growing attention globally as alternative and complementary medicine that can somewhat offset the shortcomings of synthetic substances. 9 In these kinds of situations, herbal medication is chosen due to the following qualities, Tricyclic antidepressants, second-generation antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors are the three main classes of traditional pharmacological medicines used to treat depression. Chemicals known as MAO inhibitors prevent the monoamine oxidase enzyme family from acting.…”

Assessment of Pharmacokinetic Effects of Herbal Medicines on Escitalopram

“…[14][15][16] Patients with depressive disorders have a higher probability of taking herbal medicines than other patients. 17 In Korea, the herbal medicines commonly prescribed for depressive disorders include Gami-soyosan, Banhasasim-tang, Ojeok-san, and Bojungikgi-tang. Given the Korean medical system, there is a high probability of co-administration of SSRIs and herbal medicines.…”

Screening for Neuroprotective and Rapid Antidepressant-like Effects of 20 Essential Oils

“…Statistics show that depression remains a major burden in society, affecting approximately 280 million people worldwide [2]. Several pathological mechanisms of depression have been documented, including alterations in neurotransmitter systems, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, neuroinflammation, and changes in brain structures [3]. Norepinephrine and dopamine are neurotransmitters that play a role in reward processing and motivation, and their abnormal serum levels have been reported in depressed rodents [4].…”