Possible Effects and Mechanisms of Dietary Natural Products and Nutrients on Depression and Anxiety: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Depression and anxiety are severe public health problems and have attracted more and more attention from researchers of food science and nutrition. Dietary natural products and nutrients, such as fish, coffee, tea, n-3 PUFA, lycopene, and dietary fiber, could play a vital role in the prevention and management of these diseases. The potential mechanisms of action mainly include inhibiting inflammation, ameliorating oxidative stress, modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis, suppressing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity, and regulating the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters. In this narrative review, we summarize the most recent advancements regarding the effects of dietary natural products and nutrients on depression and anxiety, and their underlying mechanisms are discussed. We hope that this paper can provide a better understanding of the anti-depressive and anxiolytic action of dietary natural products, and that it is also helpful for developing dietary natural products for functional food, dietary supplements, or auxiliary agents for the prevention and management of these diseases.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; dietary natural products; gut microbiota; nutrients.

Figure 1

The effects and mechanisms of dietary natural products on depression. ↑ represents increase, and ↓ represents decrease. ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CAT, catalase; CORT, corticosterone; CRF, corticotropin-releasing factor; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GR, glucocorticoid receptor; GSH, glutathione; 5-HT, serotonin; IL, interleukin; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MCP-1, macrophage chemoattractant protein 1; MDA, malondialdehyde; NE, norepinephrine; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-B; NO, nitric oxide; Nrf2, nuclear erythroid related factor 2; 8-OHdG, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine; PERK, protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SCFA, short-chain fatty acids; SIRT1, Sirtuin 1; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TrkB, tyrosine kinase receptor B; VCAM, vascular cell adhesion molecule.

Figure 2

The effects and mechanisms of dietary natural products on anxiety. ↑ represents increase, and ↓ represents decrease. AChE, acetylcholinesterase; BChE, butyrylcholinesterase; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CAT, catalase; CREB, cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GSH, glutathione; 5-HT, serotonin; IFN-γ, interferon-gamma; IL, interleukin; MDA, malondialdehyde; NE, norepinephrine; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-B; NOS, nitric oxide synthase; Nrf2, nuclear erythroid related factor 2; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TLR-4, Toll-like receptor-4; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α.