Du Jin-Ping, Liu Yan-Ting, Wu Yi-Jing, Wu Hong-Hua, Xu Yan-Tong
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, China.
Research and Development Center of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology and Medicine, Tianjin 300457, China.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2017 May;42(10):2006-2016. doi: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.2017.0086.
The existing antidepressants demonstrated delayed onset of clinical effects, so fast-onset antidepressants are required. Essential oil of herbs showed potentials fast-onset antidepressant potential. First, its aromatic odor can directly activate olfactory nerves; its high lipophilicity causes a high blood-brain barrier penetration rate; and its high volatility is suitable for nasal-brain targeting and inhalation delivery. Therefore, essential oils can rapidly regulate brain functions by multiple ways, suggesting a fast-onset antidepressant potential. Second, the advance of studies on chemistry and pharmacology of antidepressant essential oils demonstrated chemical substances, antidepressant effects and possible action mechanisms of antidepressant essential oils. Third, the effect of essential oils' antidepressant components on fast-onset antidepressant targets was investigated. It was found that chemical constituents of essential oils antagonized NMDA receptor activities, suggesting that essential oils have fast-onset antidepressant effect. Finally, characteristics of essential oils, fast-onset antidepressant targets and drug delivery methods are integrated to give full play to essential oils' fast-onset antidepressant advantage and provide a new direction for new drug discovery.
现有的抗抑郁药显示出临床疗效起效延迟，因此需要快速起效的抗抑郁药。草药精油显示出快速起效的抗抑郁潜力。首先，其芳香气味可直接激活嗅觉神经；其高亲脂性导致血脑屏障渗透率高；其高挥发性适合鼻脑靶向和吸入给药。因此，精油可通过多种方式快速调节脑功能，提示具有快速起效的抗抑郁潜力。其次，抗抑郁精油的化学和药理学研究进展表明了抗抑郁精油的化学物质、抗抑郁作用及可能的作用机制。第三，研究了精油抗抑郁成分对快速起效抗抑郁靶点的作用。发现精油的化学成分可拮抗NMDA受体活性，提示精油具有快速起效的抗抑郁作用。最后，整合精油的特性、快速起效的抗抑郁靶点和给药方法，以充分发挥精油快速起效的抗抑郁优势，并为新药发现提供新方向。
