TABLE 1.
Potential natural products for the treatment of PSD by modulating neurotransmitters.
| Studied Drugs | Mechanisms | Description of Study along with Doses | Studied Species | Behavioral Tests | Animal Models | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol extract of Paeonia lactiflora (EPL) | Mediated via the central monoaminergic neurotransmitter system | Intragastric administration of EPL significantly reduced the duration of immobility in both FST and TST | Male Kunming (KM) mic | FST, TST and OFT | Acute stress model | Mao et al., 2008 (Mao et al., 2008b) |
| Baicalin | Through MAO A and B inhibition | Baicalin reduced immobility time in TST and FST in mice; Baicalin also decreased immobility time FST in rats | Male wistar rats and male kunming mice | FST and TST | CUMS model | Zhu et al., 2006 (Zhu et al., 2006) |
| Kaempferol | Inhibitory activity on Monoamine oxidase | Reduces the immobility time in the FST and TST | Sprague-dawley (SD) rats | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Sloley et al., 2000 (Sloley et al., 2000) |
| Methanol extract of the roots of Sophora flavescens | Inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase (MAO) | The methanol extract of the roots of Sophora flavescens showed an inhibitory effect on mouse brain monoamine oxidase (MAO) | ICR male mice | Not application (NA) | NA | Hwang et al., 2005 (Hwang et al., 2005) |
| Flavonoid naringenin | Elevating NA, 5-HT, and GR levels in the hippocampus region | Naringenin (10, 20, and 50 mg/kg) possessed antidepressant like activity in the tail suspension test | Male ICR mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Yi et al., 2009 (Yi et al., 2010) |
| Nobiletin | Seems to be mediated by an interaction with the serotonergic (5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors), noradrenergic (α1- adrenoceptor) and dopaminergic (D1 and D2 receptors) systems | Nobiletin decreased the immobility time in both the FST and TST without locomotor alterations in the open-field test (OFT) | Male ICR mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Yi et al., 2011 (Yi et al., 2011) |
| Amentoflavone | Interaction with 5-HT2 receptor and α1-, and α2-adrenoceptors | Amentoflavone significantly reduced the immobility time in FST and TST | Swiss albino mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Ishola et al., 2012 (Ishola et al., 2012) |
| Hesperidin | Interplay with the 5-HT (1A) receptors | Hesperidin decreased the immobility time in the FST and TST without affecting the locomotor activity in the open-field test | Male adult swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Souza et al., 2013 (Souza et al., 2013) |
| Curcumin | Increased serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) as well as dopamine levels (at higher doses), and inhibited the monoamine oxidase enzymes (both MAO-A and MAO-B, higher doses) | Curcumin was active in mouse FST and TST | Male Laca mice | FST | Acute stress model | Kulkarni et al., 2008 (Kulkarni et al., 2008) |
| Fisetin | Inhibition of MAO-A | Fisetin inhibited the immobility time in both FST and TST | Male ICR mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Zhen et al., 2012 (Zhen et al., 2012) |
| Rutin | Involvement of the serotonergic and noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic systems | The administration of rutin reduced the immobility time in the TST | Male swiss mice | FST, TST and OFT | Acute stress model | Machado et al., 2008 (Machado et al., 2008) |
| Ferulic acid | Via inhibiting serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine reuptakes, regulating HPA axis and increasing ghrelin | Ferulic acid achieve anti-depressant effect through acting the Serotoninergic pathway | Male sprague–daw | FST and OFT | Acute stress model | Zhang et al., 2011 (Zhang et al., 2011) |
| Trans-resveratrol | Related to serotonergic and noradrenergic activation, inhibition of MAO-A | Trans-Resveratrol significantly decreased the immobility time in mouse models of despair tests | Male ICR mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Xu et al., 2010 (Xu et al., 2010) |
| Liquiritin and isoliquiritin | Increase 5-HT and NE in the mouse hippocampus, hypothalamus and cortex | Both liquiritin and isoliquiritin significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST and TST in mice | Mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Wang et al., 2008 (Wang et al., 2008b) |
| Piperine and antiepilepsirine | Elevated the dopamine level in striatum, hypothalamus and hippocampus; increased the serotonin level in the hypothalamus and hippocampus; a minor MAO inhibitory activity | After 2 weeks of chronic administration, PIP and AES significantly reduced the duration of immobility in both FST and TST, without accompanying changes in locomotor activity in the open-field test | Male ICR mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Li et al., 2007 (Li et al., 2007) |
| Berberine | Related to the increase in NA and 5-HT levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex | The results show that BER significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST and TST | Male ICR mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Peng et al., 2007 (Peng et al., 2007) |
| Neferine | Acting on HT1a receptor | Elicited anti-immobility effects in mice | Male ICR mice | FST | Acute stress model | Sugimoto et al., 2010 (Sugimoto et al., 2010) |
| Palmatine | A decrease in MAO-A activity | Palmatine significantly decreased immobility periods of unstressed and stressed mice in the FST and TST | Male swiss albino | FST and TST | CUMS model | Dhingra et al., 2014 (Dhingra and Bhankher, 2014) |
| Punarnavine | Decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO-A) activity; decrease in plasma corticosterone levels | It decreases immobility periods in the FST | Mice | FST | CUMS model | Dhingra et al., 2014 (Dhingra and Valecha, 2014b) |
| Hedyosmum brasiliense and pod | Dependent on the serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems | H. brasiliense and podoandin decreased the immobility time in the FST, without any accompanying changes in ambulation in the open-field test | Male swiss mice | FST and OFT | Acute stress model | Genclaves et al., 2012 (Gonçalves et al., 2012) |
| Carvacrol | Action on dopamine D1 and D2 re | Carvacrol, administered for seven consecutive days, was able to increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus | Adult male wistar r | FST | Acute stress model | Zotti et al., 2013 (Zotti et al., 2013) |
| Genipin | Elevates 5-HT and NE level | Pre-treatments with genipin significantly increased the levels of 5-HT, NE and decreased the level of 5-HIAA in the hippocampus | Male sprague dawl | OFT | CUMS model | Wang et al., 2014 (Wang et al., 2014) |
| Ursolic acid | Activation of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors | Pre-treatment of mice with UA was able to prevent the antidepressant-like effect | Swiss mice | TST and OFT | Acute stress model | Colla et al., 2014 (Colla et al., 2014) |
| β- amyrin palmitate | Activate noradrenergic activity | Reduction in immobility time of FST and TST model | Male ddy strain mice | FST | Acute stress model | Subarnas et al., 1993 (Subarnas et al., 1993) |
| Bacopaside I | Might be related to both antioxidant activation and noradrenergic activation | Bacopaside I significantly decreased the immobility time in mouse models of despair tests, but it did not influence locomotor activity | Male ICR mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Liu et al., 2013 (Liu et al., 2013) |
| l-theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide) | Might be mediated by interaction with the central monoaminergic system | l‐theanine significantly reduced the immobility time in both the FST and TST | Male kunming mice | FST, TST and OFT | Acute stress model | Yin et al., 2011 (Yin et al., 2011) |
| Ptychopetalum olacoides ethanol extract (POEE) | Possibly mediated by β-adrenergic and D1 dopamine receptors | POEE resulted in a significant and dose-related anti-immobility effect in both FST and TST | CF1 mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Piato et al., 2009 (Piato et al., 2009) |
| Acanthopanax senticosus extract | May be mediated via the central monoaminergic neurotransmitter system and CREB protein expression | Intragastric administration of ASE significantly reduced the duration of immobility in both FST and TST | Male kunming mic | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Jin et al., 2013 (Jin et al., 2013) |
| Laetispicine | Possibly act on the CNS monoaminergic neurotransmitters | A significant and dose-dependent decrease in the immobility time, as evaluated by the FST, was observed after laetispicine administration, suggesting an antidepressant effect | KM mice | FST and OFT | Acute stress model | Yao et al., 2009 (Yao et al., 2009) |
| Hypericum caprifoliatum | Monoamine uptake inhibition | The antidepressant-like effect of H. caprifoliatum on the FST is due to an increase in monoaminergic transmission, resulting from monoamine uptake inhibition | Adult male wistar rats | FST | Acute stress model | Viana et al., 2005 (Viana et al., 2005) |
| Hydroalcoholic extract of Rosmarinus officinalis | Mediated by an interaction with the monoaminergic system | The extract of R. officinalis produced an antidepressant-like effect, since the acute treatment of mice with the extract by p.o. route significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST and TST | Male swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Machado et al., 2009 (Machado et al., 2009) |
| Ethanolic extract from Tabebuia avellanedae | Involvement of the monoaminergic system | The extract from T. avellanedae produced an antidepressant-like effect, in the FST and in the TST | Adult female swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Freitas et al., 2009 (Freitas et al., 2010) |
| Methanolic extract from Bupleurum falcatum | Involves the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems | the methanolic extract from Bupleurum falcatum significantly reduced the total duration of immobility in the TST, while individual differences in locomotor activities between experimental groups were not observed in the OFT | Male BALB/c mice | TST and OFT | Acute stress model | Kwon et al., 2010 (Kwon et al., 2010) |
| Schinus molle | Involvement of the monoaminergi | The immobility time in the TST was significantly reduced by the extract of Schinus mole, without accompanying changes in ambulation when assessed in an open-field test | Male swiss mice | TST | Acute stress model | Machado et al., 2007 (Machado et al., 2007) |
| Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) | Interaction with the monoaminergi | Ascorbic acid produced an antidepressant-like effect in the TST, but not in the FST, without altering the locomotor activity | Adult swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Binfaré et al., 2009 (Binfaré et al., 2009) |
| Scopoletin | Involvement of monoaminergic sy | Scopoletin reduced the immobility time in the TST, but not in the FST | Female swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Capra et al., 2010 (Capra et al., 2010) |
| Ebselen | Involvement of the monoaminergic system | Ebselen decreased the immobility time in the FST without accompanying changes in ambulation in the open-field test. In contrast, the administration of ebselen did not produce any effect in the TST | Adults male swiss mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Posser et al., 2009 (Posser et al., 2009) |
| Hyperfoliatin | Monoamine uptake inhibition | In the FST, hyperfoliatin dose-dependently reduced immobility time | Male swiss albinos CD1 mice | FST | Acute stress model | Rego et al., 2007 (do Rego et al., 2007) |
| 1-(m-Chlorophenyl) piperazine | Stimulating the neuronal 5-HT2A | 1-(m-Chlorophenyl) piperazine exhibited depressant-like effects in FST and TST (in mice), without influencing the locomotor status | Male swiss albino mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Rajkumar et al., 2009 (Rajkumar et al., 2009) |
| Total glycosides of peony (TGP) | Inhibited the activities of monoam | Intragastric administration of TGP caused a significant reduc of immobility time in both FST and TST | Male ICR mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Mao et al., 2008 (Mao et al., 2008a) |
| Hypericum canariense L | Direct or indirect facilitation of the central serotonergic transmission | The butanol and chloroform fractions from Hypericum canariense and Hypericum glandulosum possess antidepressant-like effects in mice | Albino swiss mice | FST | Acute stress model | Mateo et al., 2005 (Sánchez-Mateo et al., 2005) |
| Tagetes lucida (Asteraceae) | The involvement of serotonergic br | The extract of Tagetes lucida significantly reduced immobility and increased swimming without affecting climbing behavior in the FST | Male wistar rats | FST and OFT | Acute stress model | Cruz et al., 2008 (Guadarrama-Cruz et al., 2008) |
| Marsilea minuta Linn | Down regulated 5-HT2A receptor | Immobility time in FST and TST was significantly reduced by ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta treated animals and Marsilea minuta significantly down regulated 5-HT2A receptor in frontal cortex | Swiss albino mice | FST and TST | LH model | Bhattamisra et al., 2008 (Bhattamisra et al., 2008) |
| Isorhynchophylline (IRN) | Inhibition of monoamine oxidases | Intragastric administration of IRN caused a significant reduction of immobility time in both FST and TST, while IRN did not stimulate locomotor activity in the open-field test | Male BALB/c mice | FST, TST, and OFT | Acute stress model | Xian et al., 2017 (Xian et al., 2017) |
| Punarnavine | Interaction with monoaminergic and GABAergic systems | Antidepressant-like effect of the extract of punarnavine were found to be comparable to fluoxetine | Swiss albino mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Dhingra et al., 2014 (Dhingra and Valecha, 2014a) |
| Ceratonia siliqua L. (Fabaceae) | Mediated by dopamine and noradrenaline | The immobility time in the TST and FST were significantly reduced by CS | Male albino mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Agrawal et al., 2011 (Agrawal et al., 2011) |
| The chloroform fraction of the total ethanolic extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis | Interaction with the adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems | The chloroform fraction of the total ethanolic extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis significantly reduced the immobility time in both FST and TST | Swiss male albino | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Dhingra et al., 2007 (Dhingra and Valecha, 2007a) |
| Terminalia bellirica Roxb. fruits | Interaction with adrenergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic systems | Aqueous extract in a dose-dependent manner and ethanolic extract significantly reduced the immobility time of mice in both FST and TST | Mice | FST and TST | Acute stress model | Dhingra et al., 2007 (Dhingra and Valecha, 2007b) |
| Cocoa polyphenolic extract | Elevate antioxidative enzyme activities and uptake of brain monoamine neurotransmitters | Cocoa polyphenolic extract significantly reduced the duration of immobility | Male wistar–unilev | FST and OFT | Acute stress model | Messaoudi et al., 2008 (Messaoudi et al., 2008) |