International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2 authors, 1 centre
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This narrative review summarizes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, symptomatology, and treatment of depression, with a specific focus on phytopharmacotherapy using medicinal plants as a potentially safer alternative to conventional antidepressants for mild to moderate depression. The review highlights that herbal preparations may work via anti-inflammatory and other mechanisms but notes the need for larger, high-quality clinical trials to confirm efficacy and safety.
Depression is a major public health disorder with complex pathophysiology involving monoamine deficits, HPA axis dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and gut-brain axis disturbances. This narrative review synthesizes literature on the epidemiology, symptoms, and management of depression, emphasizing phytopharmacotherapy as a treatment option. The review discusses several medicinal plants with claimed antidepressant activity, including St. John’s wort, saffron, lemon balm, lavender, and others, detailing their active constituents and proposed mechanisms of action, such as monoamine reuptake inhibition, MAO inhibition, and modulation of inflammatory pathways. Key limitations include the predominance of preclinical (animal/in vitro) evidence for many plants and the relatively small number of clinical trials, which are often characterized by small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity. Available clinical evidence from systematic reviews and trials suggests that some herbal preparations, particularly St. John's wort and saffron, may be effective for mild to moderate depression with a generally favorable side-effect profile compared to conventional antidepressants. The authors conclude that phytopharmacotherapy represents a promising adjunctive or alternative approach but underscore the necessity for further rigorous clinical research to establish definitive efficacy and safety conclusions.
