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Review
. 2024 Feb 8:15:1348019.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1348019. eCollection 2024.

A review of the pharmacological action and mechanism of natural plant polysaccharides in depression

Yu-He Yang  1 , Chen-Xue Li  2 , Ruo-Bing Zhang  2 , Ying Shen  1 , Xue-Jiao Xu  1 , Qin-Ming Yu  1
Affiliations
Review

A review of the pharmacological action and mechanism of natural plant polysaccharides in depression

Yu-He Yang et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder. However, clinical treatment options primarily based on chemical drugs have demonstrated varying degrees of adverse reactions and drug resistance, including somnolence, nausea, and cognitive impairment. Therefore, the development of novel antidepressant medications that effectively reduce suffering and side effects has become a prominent area of research. Polysaccharides are bioactive compounds extracted from natural plants that possess diverse pharmacological activities and medicinal values. It has been discovered that polysaccharides can effectively mitigate depression symptoms. This paper provides an overview of the pharmacological action and mechanisms, intervention approaches, and experimental models regarding the antidepressant effects of polysaccharides derived from various natural sources. Additionally, we summarize the roles and potential mechanisms through which these polysaccharides prevent depression by regulating neurotransmitters, HPA axis, neurotrophic factors, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, tryptophan metabolism, and gut microbiota. Natural plant polysaccharides hold promise as adjunctive antidepressants for prevention, reduction, and treatment of depression by exerting their therapeutic effects through multiple pathways and targets. Therefore, this review aims to provide scientific evidence for developing polysaccharide resources as effective antidepressant drugs.

Keywords: depression; mechanism; natural plant; pharmacological action; polysaccharides.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The pathogenesis of depression.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Possible antidepressant mechanism of polysaccharide targeted intervention in neurotransmitters and their receptors.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Possible antidepressant mechanism of polysaccharide targeted intervention in HPA axis and neurotrophic factors.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Possible antidepressant mechanism of polysaccharide targeted intervention in neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Possible antidepressant mechanism of polysaccharide targeted intervention in tryptophan metabolism.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Possible antidepressant mechanism of polysaccharide targeted intervention in gut microbiota.
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