NEW TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS BASED ON CRATAEGUS PINNATIFADA

Anxiety and depression are prevalent, debilitating conditions. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are common treatments, their limited success rate and adverse side effects, including sexual dysfunction and weight gain, highlight the need for alternative therapies. This study investigates the efficacy and side effect profile of a novel herbal treatment, Crataegus Pinnatifada (also named Shan-Zha), for anxiety and depression, focusing on its impact on sexual behavior and weight gain compared to the SSRI escitalopram. Mice were exposed to four weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress to induce anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. After the stress period, mice were divided into four treatment groups: (a) a novel herbal treatment, (b) Shan-Zha, (c) escitalopram, or (d) a saline. Following treatment, mice underwent behavioral tests to assess anxiety- and depression-like symptoms, sexual behavior and weight gain. Serotonin transporter levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were evaluated to determine the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of treatments. The novel herbal treatment demonstrated significant anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects without inducing sexual dysfunction or weight gain, unlike escitalopram, causing both. Among the herbal components, Shan-Zha was identified as the dominant active ingredient responsible for the treatment's therapeutic effects with minimal adverse outcomes. The novel herbal treatment, particularly Crataegus pinnatifida, shows potential as a safer SSRIs alternative, providing similar anxiolytic and antidepressant efficacy without common side effects. These differences in side effect profiles may be attributed to distinct biological mechanisms. Ongoing studies explore these mechanisms to better understand the therapeutic potential of this novel treatment.