Ethnopharmacological and genetic study on the treatment of mental disorders: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Popular medicine has been used to treat some diseases including mental disorders since the ancient times. The development of this powerful tool can bring to the actual world some benefits to improve the way of taking care of mental illnesses. Objective: To show relevant studies about biopharmaceuticals and to infer the equivalence of using biopharmaceuticals, regarding to efficacy and safety as the chemical-type drugs in the treatment for mental disorders, assessing whether there are biomolecules that might work as biopharmaceuticals to treat, cure or mitigate different mental disorders. Methods: A systematic review from 01.01.2004 to 25.28.2014 was performed on the databases PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. The search was performed with the descriptor ''mental disorders'' and with the keywords ''biopharmaceuticals'' and ''biomolecules''. The information pertinent to the study was selected, categorized and analyzed. Of the 339 articles found, 20 met the eligibility criteria. Results: Eastern culture, followed by Amazonian region concentrated most of the species related with popular treatment of mental disorders. Several species were revealed to act upon receptors or neurotransmitters in the Central Nervous System (CNS), which, sometimes, is a similar mechanism of action of a lot of well-known synthetic drugs on the market. It was also highlighted the use of the genetic knowled

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) Extract: Possible Effects on Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) Axis in Modulating Chronic Stress

“…According to Liu et al [36], an animal with a sucrose preference below 65% is considered anhedonic. This could be explained by dysfunction of dopamine neurotransmission in the mesolimbic region [3]. The mesolimbic region of the brain encompasses dopamine neurons located within the ventral tegmental area and their projections into the forebrain, notably involving medium spiny neurons within the nucleus accumbens.…”

“…The monoaminergic hypothesis of depression posits that the underlying pathophysiology of depression is connected to a reduction in serotonin, norepinephrine, and/or dopamine levels in the central nervous system [3,66]. It is also noteworthy that current conventional antidepressants enhance monoamine neurotransmission [67].…”

“…These results confirm the antidepressant action of the extract of AO obtained during the behavioral tests but are also in line with the central anti-inflammatory potential of the extract noted with the cytokines. The monoaminergic hypothesis of depression posits that the underlying pathophysiology of depression is connected to a reduction in serotonin, norepinephrine, and/or dopamine levels in the central nervous system [3,66]. It is also noteworthy that current conventional antidepressants enhance monoamine neurotransmission [67].…”

“…One in five people suffer or will suffer from depression in their lifetime [2]. Lima et al [3] estimated that depression will become the leading cause of morbidity worldwide. Depression strikes unexpectedly and, in its various forms, approximately 322 million individuals in 2017, constituting roughly 5% of the global population.…”