Psychiatric Disorders and Polyphenols: Can They Be Helpful in Therapy?

Abstract

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders permanently increases. Polyphenolic compounds can be involved in modulation of mental health including brain plasticity, behaviour, mood, depression, and cognition. In addition to their antioxidant ability other biomodulating properties have been observed. In the pathogenesis of depression disturbance in neurotransmitters, increased inflammatory processes, defects in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and redox imbalance are observed. Ginkgo biloba, green tea, and Quercus robur extracts and curcumin can affect neuronal system in depressive patients. ADHD patients treated with antipsychotic drugs, especially stimulants, report significant adverse effects; therefore, an alternative treatment is searched for. An extract from Ginkgo biloba and from Pinus pinaster bark, Pycnogenol, could become promising complementary supplements in ADHD treatment. Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder, with oxidative stress involved in its pathophysiology. The direct interference of polyphenols with schizophrenia pathophysiology has not been reported yet. However, increased oxidative stress caused by haloperidol was inhibited ex vivo by different polyphenols. Curcumin, extract from green tea and from Ginkgo biloba, may have benefits on serious side effects associated with administration of neuroleptics to patients suffering from schizophrenia. Polyphenols in the diet have the potential to become medicaments in the field of mental health after a thorough study of their mechanism of action.

Protective Effect of Sphaerococcus coronopifolius Crude Extract in Combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin on Ligature-Induced Depression in Female Wistar Rats

“…Cells in the central nervous system are more sensitive to toxic effects of ROS, than cells in other organs of the body. 58 The present study revealed an important decrease in GST and CAT activities in brain tissue of ligated female rats. It should be noted also that after 2 weeks of treatment with algae extract in combination with BCG, GST and CAT activities remain significantly lower than that in the control group.…”

Curcumin intervention for cognitive function in different types of people: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder, with oxidative stress as part of its pathophysiology. One review reviewed that curcumin may help to alleviate the serious side effects associated with administration of neuroleptics to patients suffering from schizophrenia (Trebaticka & Durackova, ). Results of some meta‐analysis have shown that curcumin is efficacious among depressed patients (Al‐Karawi, Al Mamoori, & Tayyar, ; Q. X. Ng, Koh, Chan, & Ho, ).…”

Androgen receptor and soy isoflavones in prostate cancer (Review)

“…The general backbone for flavonoids consists of 15 carbon atoms arranged in two aromatic rings connected by a heterocyclic three-carbon ring. The degree of oxidation of the central pyrol ring differs and leads to the following sub-classification: Flavones, flavonols, isoflavones, flavanones, anthocyanins and flavanols, usually called catechins (29). In plant food products, the major forms are conjugated either with acid-alcohol or with glycosides, sometimes yielding highly complex structures (30).…”

“…The diversity of flavonoid structures undoubtedly contributes to differences in biological efficacy with subtle differences affecting both bioavailability and bioactivity (31). The concept of bioavailability involves several variables, including intestinal absorption, metabolism by intestinal microflora, intestinal and hepatic metabolism, type and nature of circulating metabolites, binding to albumin, cellular uptake, accumulation in tissues and both biliary and urinary excretion (29). Whereas flavonoids are primarily recognized for their antioxidant functions, they also possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities (32)(33)(34).…”