Recent Advances in the Mechanisms of Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Depression

This paper reviews the efficacy and mechanisms of herbal medicine in alleviating depression in recent years. Depression is a severe mental disorder with a rising prevalence. Current pharmacological treatments have significant side effects and high costs, resulting in poor patient compliance. Hence, exploring new treatment methods is imperative. Herbal medicine has gained attention due to its individualized treatment, low relapse rate, fewer side effects, and multitarget effects. This paper summarizes the main mechanisms and effects of herbal medicine in the treatment of depression over the past five years, focusing on the monoamine neurotransmitter system, HPA axis, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and microglial activation.