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Abstract:
Depression is an incapacitating psychiatric ailment which is characterized by a pervasive low mood, loss of interest in daily activities, diminished ability to experience pleasure (anhedonia), withdrawal of interest, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal tendencies. It is estimated that by the year 2020 if current trends continue, the burden of depression will increase to 5.7% of the total burden of disease and it would be the second leading cause of disability-adjusted life years. Many synthetic antidepressant drugs used in depression treatment show low response rates and even produce adverse/side-effects such as cardiotoxicity, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disorder, in depressed patients. Therefore, it is desirable to seek antidepressants in medicinal plants; such materials are expected to show fewer side-effects. In this review we evaluated the side effects of antidepressants and emphasized the importance of medicinal plants in the treatment of depression
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