A Review Study on the Traditional Plants has Potential Antidepressant Property

Phyto-pharmacological Potential of Aegle marmelos (L.) for Neurological Disorders: Progress and Prospects

BACKGROUND

Aegle marmelos, an Indian plant, has been extensively utilized by the people of the Indian subcontinent over about 5000 years. The leaves, bark, roots, and fruits, including seeds, are widely used to cure a variety of diseases in the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, along with numerous folk medicines. By revealing the existence of significant bioactive chemicals, modern research has effectively substantiated the therapeutic effects of bael.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to review the literature regarding A. marmelos geographical distribution, morphology, therapeutic benefits, and phytochemicals found in the bael leaves, fruits, and other parts of the plant that offer a wide range of pharmacological applications in neurological disorders.

METHODOLOGY

A thorough literature search was conducted using five computerized databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, and Wiley Online Library (WOL), by using standard keywords "A. marmelos," "Geographical distribution," "Morphological description," "Ethnobotanical Uses," "Phytoconstituents" and "Neuroprotective activities" for review papers published between 1975 and 2023. A small number of earlier review articles focused on phyto-pharmacological potential of Aegle marmelos (L.) for neurological disorders.

RESULTS

According to some research, Aegle marmelos extracts potentially have neuroprotective benefits. This is due to its capacity to alter cellular mechanisms that cause neuronal damage.

CONCLUSION

Neurodegenerative illnesses usually induce permanent neuronal network loss overall the brain along with the spinal cord (CNS), resulting in chronic functional impairments. The review summarizes the multiple aspects and processes of A. marmelos extract and its components in several models of neurodegenerative diseases such as anxiety, epilepsy, depression, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and others. MDA, nitrite, TNF-, and IL-6 levels were dramatically elevated, whereas glutathione levels were significantly lowered in the hippocampus of STZ-treated rats. Furthermore, STZ-treated rats showed a substantial drop in catalase activity and an increase in AChE activity, indicating cholinergic hypofunction and neuronal injury. The neuroprotective ability of A. marmelos against STZ-induced oxidative stress and cognitive loss in rats suggests that it has therapeutic relevance in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Depression. II: Evidence from Clinical Trials

Depression is a syndrome characterized by deep sadness and the inhibition of psychic functions, sometimes accompanied by neurovegetative disorders, with symptoms of anxiety almost always present. The disease produces alterations in a variety of neural networks and neurotransmission systems, along with a dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which leads to concomitant alterations in the immunological response. Generally, there is a parallel increase in proinflammatory mediators as well as oxidative and nitrosative damage caused by a reduction of antioxidant defenses. In a previous review, we compiled and examined studies of medicinal plants that had been evaluated in preclinical assays, including existing data on 155 species studied and reported as antidepressants or as sources of active principles for treating this condition. This review will thus limit its focus to the 95 clinical trials found in PubMed among the 670 articles on antidepressant-like medicinal plants. To this end, we have reviewed the publications cited in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed, and the Science Citation Index from 2000 to 2020. Our review emphasizes those species that have demonstrated the greatest pharmacological potential when studied for their antidepressant properties in humans through clinical trials. Saffron, turmeric, St. John's wort, ginkgo, kava, and golden root are the most relevant plants that have provided important evidence for the treatment of depression in clinical trials.

Artemisia spp.: An Update on Its Chemical Composition, Pharmacological and Toxicological Profiles

Artemisia plants are traditional and ethnopharmacologically used to treat several diseases and in addition in food, spices, and beverages. The genus is widely distributed in all continents except the Antarctica, and traditional medicine has been used as antimalarial, antioxidant, anticancer, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral agents. This review is aimed at systematizing scientific data on the geographical distribution, chemical composition, and pharmacological and toxicological profiles of the Artemisia genus. Data from the literature on Artemisia plants were taken using electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Selected papers for this updated study included data about phytochemicals, preclinical pharmacological experimental studies with molecular mechanisms included, clinical studies, and toxicological and safety data. In addition, ancient texts and books were consulted. The essential oils and phytochemicals of the Artemisia genus have reported important biological activities, among them the artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone, with antimalarial activity. Artemisia absinthium L. is one of the most famous Artemisia spp. due to its use in the production of the absinthe drink which is restricted in most countries because of neurotoxicity. The analyzed studies confirmed that Artemisia plants have many traditional and pharmacological applications. However, scientific data are limited to clinical and toxicological research. Therefore, further research is needed on these aspects to understand the full therapeutic potential and molecular pharmacological mechanisms of this medicinal species.

Ethnopharmacological-Based Validation of Polyalthia suberosa Leaf Extract in Neurological, Hyperalgesic, and Hyperactive Gut Disorders Using Animal Models

Polyalthia suberosa (Roxb.) is a plant used to cure coughs, dysentery, fevers, joint aches, rheumatic pain, inflammation, and a variety of skin diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ethyl acetate extract of Polyalthia suberosa (P. suberosa) leaves and their effects on mice for neuropharmacological, analgesic, and antidiarrheal activities. For neurological studies, the hole cross, hole board, open field, and thiopental sodium-induced sleep duration measurement methodologies were used. The castor oil-induced diarrhea inhibition test was used to assess antidiarrheal action, and the acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition test was used to determine analgesic effectiveness. The extract was given in doses of 250 and 500 mg kg⁻¹ body weight. As a standard drug, diazepam at a dosage of 3 mg kg⁻¹ was used. The extract was also given to groups, and sleep time was measured and recorded. The onset of the anxiolytic effect of the extract at both doses was found to be significant (p < 0.001), and sleep time increased to 273 minutes. For assessing analgesic activity, the extract along with standard diclofenac was administered and found to be 55.02 percent and 64.33 percent, respectively, for the extracts, and diclofenac was found to be 67.44 percent (p < 0.001). For antidiarrheal activity, it was compared with the standard drug, loperamide. The decrease for plant extracts was 50.07 percent and 70.06 percent at 250 mg kg⁻¹ and 500 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, whereas it was 85.01 percent for loperamide (3 mg kg⁻¹) (p < 0.00). In this study, it was found that ethyl acetate extract of Polyalthia suberosa leaves had strong CNS depressant, analgesic, and antidiarrheal activities, which indicates that it may be used in contemporary medicine.

Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Depression: Evidence from Preclinical Studies

Medicinal plants and their extracts are natural remedies with enormous potential for treating various diseases, including depression and anxiety. In the case of depression, hundreds of plants have traditionally been used in folk medicine for generations. Different plant extracts and natural products have been analyzed as potential antidepressant agents with validated models to test for antidepressant-like effects in animals, although other complementary studies have also been employed. Most of these studies focus on the possible mediators implicated in these potential effects, with dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline being the principal neurotransmitters implicated, both through interference with receptors and with their metabolism by monoamino oxidases, as well as through neuro-endocrine and neuroprotective effects. There are approximately 650 reports of antidepressant-like medicinal plants in PubMed; 155 of them have been compiled in this review, with a relevant group yielding positive results. Saffron and turmeric are the most relevant species studied in both preclinical and clinical studies; St. John's wort or kava have also been tested extensively. To the best of our knowledge, no review to date has provided a comprehensive understanding of the biomolecular mechanisms of action of these herbs or of whether their potential effects could have real benefits. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide an update regarding medicinal plants from the year 2000 to the present to examine the therapeutic potential of these antidepressant-like plants in order to contribute to the development of new therapeutic methods to alleviate the tremendous burden that depression causes worldwide.

Phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of the genus artemisia

Artemisia and its allied species have been employed for conventional medicine in the Northern temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia for the treatments of digestive problems, morning sickness, irregular menstrual cycle, typhoid, epilepsy, renal problems, bronchitis malaria, etc. The multidisciplinary use of artemisia species has various other health benefits that are related to its traditional and modern pharmaceutical perspectives. The main objective of this review is to evaluate the traditional, modern, biological as well as pharmacological use of the essential oil and herbal extracts of Artemisia nilagirica, Artemisia parviflora, and other allied species of Artemisia. It also discusses the botanical circulation and its phytochemical constituents viz disaccharides, polysaccharides, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, and carotenoids. The plants have different biological importance like antiparasitic, antimalarial, antihyperlipidemic, antiasthmatic, antiepileptic, antitubercular, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anxiolytic, antiemetic, antidepressant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, insecticidal, antiviral activities, and also against COVID-19. Toxicological studies showed that the plants at a low dose and short duration are non or low-toxic. In contrast, a high dose at 3 g/kg and for a longer duration can cause toxicity like rapid respiration, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, etc. However, further in-depth studies are needed to determine the medicinal uses, clinical efficacy and safety are crucial next steps.