Ethnobotanical Survey on Antidepressive Plants Used for Mood Management in Algeria

Abstract

Depression is a mood disorder associated with cognitive decline. To self-medicate, people use medicinal herbs to limit the side effects associated with taking antidepressants, such as addiction, hallucinations, and dizziness. Current research consists of ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants used to improve depression-related mood disorders, and the socio-economic profiles of people with depression (gender, age, education level…) and information about the listed antidepressant plants (common name, part used…). 129 individuals belonging to some regions of Algeria answered our questionnaire among which 82% are women and 98% are academics. The informants cited 44 species (Mentha spicata with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) =0.69, Chamomilla nobilis RFC=0.49, Aloysia citrodora RFC=0.19, Lavandula officinalis, Melissa officinalis RFC=0.17, Foeniculum vulgare RFC=0.1, Pimpinella anisum RFC=0.09 and Hypericum perforatum RFC=0.07…) belonging to 25 botanical families represented mainly by the Lamiaceae family (38%). Infusion remains the most common method of preparation, and the leaves are the most used part. These plants modulated the depressive state of informants in a similar way to synthetic antidepressants. These plants deserve to be studied for the development of new herbal drugs with acceptable side effects.

Zusammenfassung

Depression ist eine Gemütserkrankung, die u. a. mit einem kognitiven Abbau einhergeht. Die Einnahme von Antidepressiva hat verschiedene Nebenwirkungen, z. B. Abhängigkeit, Halluzinationen und Benommenheit. Viele Menschen greifen zur Selbstmedikation mit Arzneipflanzen, um diese Nebenwirkungen zu begrenzen. Ziel dieser ethnobotanischen Studie ist es, die Verwendung von Arzneipflanzen zu erheben, die in Algerien zur Behandlung von depressionsbedingten Stimmungsstörungen verwendet werden. Die Untersuchung befasst sich auch mit dem sozioökonomischen Zustand von Menschen mit Depressionen (Geschlecht, Alter, Bildungsniveau) und bietet Informationen über die aufgelisteten antidepressiven Arzneipflanzen (einschließlich des gebräuchlichen Namens und des verwendeten Teils).

Die Stichprobe umfasste Befragte aus verschiedenen Regionen Algeriens (N = 129), die unseren Fragebogen beantworteten (82% Frauen, 98% Akademiker:innen). 44 Arten, die zu 25 botanischen Familien gehören und hauptsächlich von der Familie der Lamiaceae repräsentiert werden (38 %), wurden von den Befragten genannt: am häufigsten Mentha spicata RFC = 0,69, Chamomilla nobilis RFC = 0,49, Aloysia citrodora RFC = 0,19, Lavandula officinalis, Melissa officinalis RFC = 0,17, Foeniculum vulgare RFC = 0,1, Pimpinella anisum RFC = 0,09 und Hypericum perforatum RFC = 0,07). RFC = relative frequency of citation.

Die gebräuchlichste Methode der Anwendung ist die Zubereitung als Tee, wobei die Blätter am häufigsten verwendet werden. Es wurde berichtet, dass diese Pflanzen den depressiven Zustand der Befragten in ähnlicher Weise beeinflussen wie synthetische Antidepressiva. Für die Zukunft sollten die Pflanzen weiter untersucht werden, um neue pflanzliche Arzneimittel mit überschaubaren Nebenwirkungen zu entwickeln.

Publication History

Article published online:
25 April 2024

• References

• 1 Workman EA. Neuropharmacology. In: Ramachandran VS. Encyclopedia of the Human Brain. Elsevier/Academic Press; 2002: 541-560
• 2 Murray ED, Buttner EA, Price BH. Depression and Psychosis in Neurological Practice. In: Daroff RB, ed. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. Elsevier/Saunders; 2012: 102-103
• 3 Benkert O, Szegedi A, Müller MJ. Antidepressant Drugs. In: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. Elsevier; 2001: 529-535
• 4 Smithson J, Mitchell PB. Antidepressants. In: Ray SD, ed. A Worldwide Yearly Survey of New Data in Adverse Drug Reactions. Vol. 41. Elsevier; 2019: 13-26
• 5 Martins J, Brijesh S. Phytochemistry and pharmacology of anti-depressant medicinal plants: a review. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 104: 343-365
• 6 Hirshler Y, Doron R. Neuroplasticity-related mechanisms underlying the antidepressant-like effects of traditional herbal medicines. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27: 945-958
• 7 Li JM, Zhao Y, Sun Y, Kong LD. Potential effect of herbal antidepressants on cognitive deficit: Pharmacological activity and possible molecular mechanism. J Ethnopharmacol 2020; 257: 112830
• 8 Khoufache A. Étude des dénominations vernaculaires et scientifiques des plantes d’Afrique du nord [Thèse de doctorat]. Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris-Cité; 2019
• 9 Quezel P, Santa S. Nouvelle Flore d’Algérie et des Régions Désertiques Méridionales. 2 Tomes. Paris: Editions CNRS; 1962: 1170;
• 10 Tardio J, Pardo-de-Santayana M. Cultural importance indices: A comparative analysis based on the useful wild plants of southern Cantabria (northern Spain). Econ Bot 2008; 62: 24-39
• 11 Parker G, Brotchie H. Gender differences in depression. Int Rev Psychiatry 2010; 22: 429-436
• 12 Grigoriadis S, Robinson GE. Gender issues in depression. Ann Clin Psychiatry 2007; 19: 247-255
• 13 Villarroel MA, Terlizzi EP. Symptoms of depression among adults: United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 379. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2020
• 14 Stordal E, Mykletun A, Dahl AA. The association between age and depression in the general population: A multivariate examination. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2003; 107: 132-141
• 15 Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): Methodological summary and definitions. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2021
• 16 Hadj Ali H, Souidi Z, Benarba B, Belhouala K. An ethnobotanical study of the traditional uses of medicinal and aromatic plants of the regions of Relizane (North-West Algeria). Int J Environmental Studies 2023; 80: 612-634
• 17 Hassaïne S, Benmalek S. Medicinal plants traditionally used in the Algerian Sahara: an ethnobotanical study. Vegetos 2023; 36: 400-426
• 18 Bouasla A, Bouasla I. Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in northeastern of Algeria. Phytomedicine 2017; 36: 68-81
• 19 Abbasi-Maleki S, Bakhtiarian A, Nikoui V. Involvement of the monoaminergic system in the antidepressant-like effect of the crude extract of Mentha piperita (Lamiaceae) in the forced swimming test in mice. Synergy 2017; 5 (A): 21-28
• 20 Kong Y, Wang T, Wang R. et al. Inhalation of Roman chamomile essential oil attenuates depressive-like behaviors in Wistar Kyoto rats. Sci China Life Sci 2017; 60: 647-655
• 21 Rahmati B, Kiasalari Z, Roghani M. et al. Antidepressant and anxiolytic activity of Lavandula officinalis aerial parts hydroalcoholic extract in scopolamine-treated rats. Pharm Biol 2017; 55: 958-965
• 22 Abbasi-Maleki S, Kadkhoda Z, Taghizad-Farid R. The antidepressant-like effects of Origanum majorana essential oil on mice through monoaminergic modulation using the forced swimming test. J Tradit Complement Med 2019; 10: 327-335
• 23 Abbasi-Maleki S, Maleki SG. Antidepressant-like effects of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil and potential involvement of dopaminergic and serotonergic systems on mice in the forced swim test. Pharma Nutrition 2021; 15: 100241
• 24 Barnes J, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD.. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.): a review of its chemistry, pharmacology and clinical properties. J Pharm Pharmacol 2001; 53: 583-600
• 25 Eatemadnia A, Ansari S, Abedi P, Najar S. The effect of Hypericum perforatum on postmenopausal symptoms and depression: A randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 2019; 45: 109-113
• 26 Zirak N, Shafiee M, Soltani G. et al. Hypericum perforatum in the treatment of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders: Current evidence and potential mechanisms of action. J Cell Physiol 2009; 234: 8496-8508
• 27 Lin SH, Chou ML, Chen WC. et al. A medicinal herb, Melissa officinalis L. ameliorates depressive-like behavior of rats in the forced swimming test via regulating the serotonergic neurotransmitter. J Ethnopharmacol 2015; 175: 266-272
• 28 Waheed K, Nawaz H, Hanif MA. et al. Lemon Balm. In: Hanif MA, ed. Medicinal Plants of South Asia. Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier; 2020: 465-478
• 29 Shahamat Z, Abbasi-Maleki S, Mohammadi Motamed S. Evaluation of antidepressant-like effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Pimpinella anisum fruit in mice. Avicenna J Phytomed 2016; 6: 322-328
• 30 Es-Safi I, Mechchate H, Amaghnouje A. et al. Assessment of antidepressant-like, anxiolytic effects and impact on memory of Pimpinella anisum L. total extract on Swiss albino mice. Plants 2021; 10: 1573