ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the antidepressant effects of specific herbs. The herbs were included under two primary criteria. The first criterion was evidence of traditional use of the herb to treat depression or mood disorders. The second essential criterion was at least two well-performed preclinical studies demonstrating antidepressant-like effects through standard methods. Studies of Allium sativum in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have revealed further relationships between this herb and insulin. Daily administration of raw Allium sativum paste to rats made diabetic and insulin resistant by high fructose diets improved insulin sensitivity while attenuating signs of metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress. Chronic administration of ethanolic extract of Allium sativum also decreased immobility in mice in the tail suspension and forced swim tests. Administration of Astragalus membranaceus to rats and mice has been shown to ameliorate depression-like behaviors induced by various mechanisms. The depression-like behavior in rats caused by administration of lipopolysaccharide was reduced by pretreatment with Astragalus membranaceus.
