Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents

Flavonoids are phenolic compounds found commonly in plants that protect them against the negative effects of environmental insults. These secondary metabolites have been widely studied in preclinical research because of their biological effects, particularly as antioxidant agents. Diverse flavonoids...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: León Jesús German-Ponciano, Gilberto Uriel Rosas-Sánchez, Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez, Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Scientifica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2963565
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850175718336495616
author León Jesús German-Ponciano
Gilberto Uriel Rosas-Sánchez
Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez
Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa
author_facet León Jesús German-Ponciano
Gilberto Uriel Rosas-Sánchez
Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez
Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa
author_sort León Jesús German-Ponciano
collection DOAJ
description Flavonoids are phenolic compounds found commonly in plants that protect them against the negative effects of environmental insults. These secondary metabolites have been widely studied in preclinical research because of their biological effects, particularly as antioxidant agents. Diverse flavonoids have been studied to explore their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, including anxiety and depression. The present review discusses advances in the study of some flavonoids as potential antidepressant agents. We describe their behavioral, physiological, and neurochemical effects and the apparent mechanism of action of their preclinical antidepressant-like effects. Natural flavonoids produce antidepressant-like effects in validated behavioral models of depression. The mechanism of action of these effects includes the activation of serotonergic, dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic neurotransmitter systems and an increase in the production of neural factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor. Additionally, alterations in the function of tropomyosin receptor kinase B and activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A have been reported. In conclusion, preclinical research supports the potential antidepressant effects of some natural flavonoids, which opens new possibilities of evaluating these substances to develop complementary therapeutic alternatives that could ameliorate symptoms of depressive disorders in humans.
format Article
id doaj-art-c0767e390cfa4408a24bfd6ce90d6695
institution OA Journals
issn 2090-908X
language English
publishDate 2018-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Scientifica
spelling doaj-art-c0767e390cfa4408a24bfd6ce90d66952025-08-20T02:19:23ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2018-01-01201810.1155/2018/29635652963565Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant AgentsLeón Jesús German-Ponciano0Gilberto Uriel Rosas-Sánchez1Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez2Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa3Programa de Doctorado en Neuroetología, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, VER, MexicoPrograma de Doctorado en Neuroetología, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, VER, MexicoFacultad de Química Farmacéutica Biológica, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, VER, MexicoFacultad de Química Farmacéutica Biológica, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, VER, MexicoFlavonoids are phenolic compounds found commonly in plants that protect them against the negative effects of environmental insults. These secondary metabolites have been widely studied in preclinical research because of their biological effects, particularly as antioxidant agents. Diverse flavonoids have been studied to explore their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, including anxiety and depression. The present review discusses advances in the study of some flavonoids as potential antidepressant agents. We describe their behavioral, physiological, and neurochemical effects and the apparent mechanism of action of their preclinical antidepressant-like effects. Natural flavonoids produce antidepressant-like effects in validated behavioral models of depression. The mechanism of action of these effects includes the activation of serotonergic, dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic neurotransmitter systems and an increase in the production of neural factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor. Additionally, alterations in the function of tropomyosin receptor kinase B and activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A have been reported. In conclusion, preclinical research supports the potential antidepressant effects of some natural flavonoids, which opens new possibilities of evaluating these substances to develop complementary therapeutic alternatives that could ameliorate symptoms of depressive disorders in humans.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2963565
spellingShingle León Jesús German-Ponciano
Gilberto Uriel Rosas-Sánchez
Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez
Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa
Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
Scientifica
title Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
title_full Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
title_fullStr Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
title_full_unstemmed Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
title_short Advances in the Preclinical Study of Some Flavonoids as Potential Antidepressant Agents
title_sort advances in the preclinical study of some flavonoids as potential antidepressant agents
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2963565
work_keys_str_mv AT leonjesusgermanponciano advancesinthepreclinicalstudyofsomeflavonoidsaspotentialantidepressantagents
AT gilbertourielrosassanchez advancesinthepreclinicalstudyofsomeflavonoidsaspotentialantidepressantagents
AT eduardorivadeneyradominguez advancesinthepreclinicalstudyofsomeflavonoidsaspotentialantidepressantagents
AT juanfranciscorodriguezlanda advancesinthepreclinicalstudyofsomeflavonoidsaspotentialantidepressantagents