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Archives of Pharmacal Research Nov 2020Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression are widespread psychological diseases that affect up to 20% of the world's population. There are many approaches to... (Review)
Review
Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression are widespread psychological diseases that affect up to 20% of the world's population. There are many approaches to the discovery of novel agents for the treatment of depressive- and anxiety-like symptoms. However, the efficacy of existing drugs for emotional disorders is only exerted after a few weeks of treatment and have serious side effects. Due to this, new strategies to find suitable and safe options are being sought by many researchers. Among them, a lot of interest has been attracted by plant-derived natural compounds due to their wide range of beneficial effects for new agent development. Flavonoids are natural polyphenol-like compounds found commonly in plants, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs. A diverse range of flavonoids have been studied to investigate their potential therapeutic activities for the treatment of brain-associated disorders, including anxiety and depression. The main aim of this review is to understand the associations between the various flavonoids and the emotional disorders and discuss the therapeutic effects of these natural compounds that were demonstrated during the conduction of recent studies. The current work shows advances in the latest research of some flavonoids as a potential candidate for the treatment of emotional disorders. We summarize their behavioral, molecular, physiological, and neurochemical effects in various in vitro and in vivo models. Therefore, in the present work, the latest studies were collected on the most important flavonoid compounds and their underlying mechanisms of action in emotion-related disorders were discussed.
Topics: Affect; Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Anxiety; Brain; Depression; Emotions; Flavonoids; Humans
PubMed: 33225387
DOI: 10.1007/s12272-020-01292-5 -
The 5-HT7 receptor system as a treatment target for mood and anxiety disorders: A systematic review.Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford,... Dec 2023Preclinical animal and preliminary human studies indicate that 5-HT7 antagonists have the potential as a new treatment approach for mood and anxiety disorders. In this... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Preclinical animal and preliminary human studies indicate that 5-HT7 antagonists have the potential as a new treatment approach for mood and anxiety disorders. In this systematic review, we aimed to review the relationship between the 5-HT7 receptor system and mood and anxiety disorders, and to explore the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of medications that target the 5-HT7 receptor for their treatment.
METHODS
Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsycINFO databases, the National Institute of Health website Clinicaltrials.gov, controlled-trials.com, and relevant grey literature were used to search for original research articles, and reference lists of included articles were then hand searched.
RESULTS
Sixty-four studies were included in the review: 52 animal studies and 12 human studies. Studies used a variety of preclinical paradigms and questionnaires to assess change in mood, and few studies examined sleep or cognition. Forty-four out of 47 (44/47) preclinical 5-HT7 modulation studies identified potential antidepressant effects and 20/23 studies identified potential anxiolytic effects. In clinical studies, 5/7 identified potential antidepressant effects in major depressive disorder, 1/2 identified potential anxiolytic effects in generalized anxiety disorder, and 3/3 identified potential antidepressant effects in bipolar disorders.
CONCLUSION
While there is some evidence that the 5-HT7 receptor system may be a potential target for treating mood and anxiety disorders, many agents included in the review also bind to other receptors. Further research is needed using drugs that bind specifically to 5-HT7 receptors to examine treatment proof of concept further.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Anxiety Disorders; Depressive Disorder, Major
PubMed: 37994803
DOI: 10.1177/02698811231211228 -
Drug Development Research May 2023Phytopharmaceuticals have attracted a lot of attention due to their multicomponent and multiple targets. The natural phenolic chemicals known as flavonoids are found in... (Review)
Review
Phytopharmaceuticals have attracted a lot of attention due to their multicomponent and multiple targets. The natural phenolic chemicals known as flavonoids are found in a wide variety of plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Recently, they have been found to have modulatory effects on anxiety disorders, with current research focusing on the modulation of neurotransmitters. There has not yet been a review of the various natural flavonoid monomer compounds and total plant flavonoids that have been found to have anxiolytic effects. The study on the anti-anxiety effects of plant-derived flavonoids on neurotransmitters was reviewed in this paper. We, therefore, anticipate that further study on the conformational interaction underlying flavonoids' anti-anxiety effects will offer a theoretical framework for the creation of pertinent treatments.
Topics: Flavonoids; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Plant Extracts; Neurotransmitter Agents
PubMed: 36744648
DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22038 -
CNS Spectrums Jun 2020Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions. Despite many proven pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments available, high rates of... (Review)
Review
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions. Despite many proven pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments available, high rates of partial response and low rates of long-term remission remain. Ketamine has been receiving increasing attention as an interventional treatment modality in psychiatry, especially among refractory conditions, including major depressive disorder. There is limited yet growing evidence to support the use of ketamine in anxiety disorders. In this review of the literature, we present case reports, case series, and controlled trials demonstrating proof-of-concept for its potential role in the treatment of anxiety and anxiety spectrum disorders. Its unique mechanism of action, rapid onset, and high rate of response have driven its use in clinical practice. Ketamine is generally well tolerated by patients and has a limited side effect profile; however, the effects of long-term use are unknown. While there is a growing body of research and increasing clinical experience to suggest ketamine may have clinical applications in the treatment of refractory anxiety disorders, further research to determine long-term safety and tolerability is indicated.
Topics: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Anxiety Disorders; Bipolar Disorder; Humans; Ketamine; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 31339086
DOI: 10.1017/S1092852919001238 -
Annals of the Academy of Medicine,... Sep 2019
Topics: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Antipsychotic Agents; Commitment of Mentally Ill; Electroconvulsive Therapy; Health Literacy; Humans; Mental Health; Patient Safety; Psychotherapy; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Prevention
PubMed: 31737892
DOI: No ID Found -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Dec 2022The validity of widely used rodent behavioural tests of anxiety has been questioned, as they often fail to produce consistent results across independent replicate... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The validity of widely used rodent behavioural tests of anxiety has been questioned, as they often fail to produce consistent results across independent replicate studies. In this study, we assessed the sensitivity of common behavioural tests of anxiety in mice to detect anxiolytic effects of drugs prescribed to treat anxiety in humans. We conducted a pre-registered systematic review of 814 studies reporting effects of 25 anxiolytic compounds using common behavioural tests for anxiety. Meta-analyses of effect sizes of treatments showed that only two out of 17 commonly used test measures reliably detected effects of anxiolytic compounds. We report considerable between-study variation in size and even direction of effects of most anxiolytics on most outcome variables. Our findings indicate a general lack of sensitivity of those behavioural tests and cast serious doubt on both construct and predictive validity of most of these tests. In view of scientifically valid and ethically responsible research, we call for a revision of behavioural tests of anxiety in mice and the development of more predictive tests.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Behavior Rating Scale; Reproducibility of Results; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders
PubMed: 36341943
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104928 -
The World Journal of Biological... Sep 2019Benzodiazepines (BZs) are still widely prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders despite many publications in the literature which favour antidepressants (ADs)... (Review)
Review
Benzodiazepines (BZs) are still widely prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders despite many publications in the literature which favour antidepressants (ADs) instead. What is the evidence? Treatment guidelines favour ADs over BZs for treatment of anxiety disorders without any head-to-head comparison of both drug groups with placebo. BZs are claimed to cause less efficacy and more safety issues than ADs, yet ADs also cause disturbing adverse events and, similar to BZs, discontinuation symptoms. Until evidence-based data become available, a look at two 6-month generalized anxiety disorder trials conducted by the same research group, one with a BZ and the other with an AD, might provide some guidance for the clinician. Most improvement with a BZ was obtained by 4 weeks, suggesting that BZ treatment longer than 4 weeks should only be offered to patients maximally improved at 4 weeks. In contrast, ADs may have to be prescribed for 3-6 months to obtain maximal benefits. Results of a controlled trial as proposed will go a long way in providing clinicians missing information to guide them in the appropriate use of both BZs and ADs in anxiety disorders.
Topics: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Anxiety Disorders; Benzodiazepines; Humans
PubMed: 30252578
DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2018.1500031 -
CNS Spectrums Feb 2022In this review, we describe proposed circuits mediating the mechanism of action of pherines, a new class of synthetic neuroactive steroids with demonstrated antianxiety... (Review)
Review
In this review, we describe proposed circuits mediating the mechanism of action of pherines, a new class of synthetic neuroactive steroids with demonstrated antianxiety and antidepressant properties, that engage nasal chemosensory receptors. We hypothesize that afferent signals triggered by activation of these peripheral receptors could reach subgroups of olfactory bulb neurons broadcasting information to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the limbic amygdala. We propose that chemosensory inputs triggered by pherines project to centrolateral (CeL) and centromedial (CeM) amygdala neurons, with downstream effects mediating behavioral actions. Anxiolytic pherines could activate the forward inhibitory GABAergic neurons that facilitate the release of neuropeptide S (NPS) in the locus coeruleus (LC) and GABA in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and inhibit catecholamine release in the LC and ventral tegmental area (VTA) leading to rapid anxiolytic effect. Alternatively, antidepressant pherines could facilitate the CRH and GABAergic neurons that inhibit the release of NPS from the LC, increase glutamate release from the BNST, and increase norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and serotonin release from the LC, VTA, and raphe nucleus, respectively. Activation of these neural circuits leads to rapid antidepressant effect. The information provided is consistent with this model, but it should be noted that some steps on these pathways have not been demonstrated conclusively in the human brain.
Topics: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; Humans; Septal Nuclei; Ventral Tegmental Area
PubMed: 33092667
DOI: 10.1017/S109285292000190X -
American Family Physician Apr 2020
Review
Topics: Adult; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Arousal; Benzodiazepines; Humans; Panic; Panic Disorder; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32227829
DOI: No ID Found -
Pharmacological Research Oct 2022Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders that have emerged as global health concerns. Anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, such as... (Review)
Review
Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders that have emerged as global health concerns. Anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and tricyclics, are the first line used in treating anxiety and depression. Although these drugs lack efficacy and have a delayed response time and numerous side effects, their widespread abuse and market continue to grow. Over time, traditional practices using natural and phytochemicals as alternative therapies to chemical drugs have emerged to treat many pathological conditions, including anxiety and depression. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated that the phenolic compound, rosmarinic acid, is effective against several neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. In addition, rosmarinic acid showed various pharmacological effects, such as cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, lung protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, the potentialities of the use of rosmarinic acid in the treatment of nervous system-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are less or not yet reviewed. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to present several preclinical and clinical studies, when available, from different databases investigating the effects of rosmarinic acid on anxiety and depression. These studies showed that rosmarinic acid produces advantageous effects on anxiety and depression through its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review will examine and discuss the possibility that the anxiolytic and anti-depressive effects of rosmarinic acid could be associated with its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Topics: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Antioxidants; Benzodiazepines; Cinnamates; Depsides; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; Neuroprotective Agents; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Rosmarinic Acid
PubMed: 36096427
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106421