Depression is one of the most frequently observed psychological disorders, affecting thoughts, feelings, behavior and a sense of well-being in person. As per the WHO, it is projected to be the primitive cause of various other diseases by 2030. Clinically, depression is treated by various types of synthetic medicines that have several limitations such as side-effects, slow-onset action, poor remission and response rates due to complicated pathophysiology involved with depression. Further, clinically, patients cannot be given the treatment unless it affects adversely the job or family. In addition, synthetic drugs are usually single targeted drugs. Unlike synthetic medicaments, there are many plants that have flavonoids and producing action on multiple molecular targets and exhibit anti-depressant action by affecting multiple neuronal transmissions or pathways such as noradrenergic, serotonergic, GABAnergic and dopaminergic; inhibition of monoamine oxidase and tropomyosin receptor kinase B; simultaneous increase in nerve growth and brain-derived neurotrophic factors. Such herbal drugs with flavonoids are likely to be useful in patients with sub-clinical depression. This review is an attempt to analyze pre-clinical studies, structural activity relationship and characteristics of reported isolated flavonoids, which may be considered for clinical trials for the development of therapeutically useful antidepressant.

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Objective: The present study aim to investigate the anti-obsessive compulsive disorder potential of honey in mice. Methods:The honey was given orally in two concentrations of 17.5 ml/kg and 35 ml/kg to mice for 21 days. The anti-obsessive compulsive activity was assessed on 21 th day by in-vitro methods viz flickering-light induced obsessive-compulsive behaviour model developed in our laboratory (Patent No. 3087/DEL/2012) and marble-burying behaviour model. The biochemical estimation was also done on 21 days.Results: When honey was administered chronically for 21 days significantly reduced gnawing behaviour and marble-burying behaviour of mice. Interestingly in our biochemical estimations, both, brain serotonin and GABA level were significantly increased by honey. The anti-Obsessive compulsive activity of honey may be due to the presence of Tryptophan, which is an important precursor of serotonin in the serotonergic neurons thereby enhancing the biosynthesis of serotonin to facilitate the anti-obsessive compulsive activity. Conclusion:The present study revealed that honey possessed significant anti-OCD activity.

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The “serotonin hypothesis of depression” is approximately fifty years old, and in spite of vast literature, the exact role of serotonin in depression pathophysiology is still unclear, as whether a lower serotonin level causes depression or depression causes a reduction in serotonin level has become a tough challenge for researchers to understand the actual involvement of serotonin in depression. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies have illustrated the multi-faceted signalling action of serotonin in depression and vouch for the significant or unavoidable role of serotonin in depression. In this review, the journey of the serotonin hypothesis of depression from the 1950s to the present time has been analysed to understand the serotonin hypothesis of depression and investigate the new molecular targets for the development of new future anti- depressants. The old and new theories of possible cellular mechanisms found to be involved in the pathophysiology of major depression or stress, such as polymorphism of serotonin transporters, enzyme modulating serotonergic activity, reduction in the level of serotonin and involvement of different sub-types of receptors, have been discussed in the respective review. Thus, in this review, the new signature targets to increase serotonin levels have been identified, which would help the researcher in the drug development of new faster-acting antidepressants.