Sarkar Sampriti, Maparu Kousik, Aran Khadga Raj
Department of Pharmacy Practice, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2025 Aug 13. doi: 10.1007/s12602-025-10703-2.
Depression, a debilitating mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness and anhedonia, affects millions worldwide, yet available therapies remain suboptimal and often cause undesirable side effects. Emerging evidence highlights the crucial role of gut microbiota in regulating mental health through the gut-brain axis, paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies. As per preclinical and clinical studies, there is a causal relationship between gut dysbiosis and depression via modulation of brain activity through the gut-brain axis (GBA), and the key to targeting microbes is key to treating depression. Postbiotics-bioactive compounds derived after fermentation have been shown to provide several health benefits, particularly in terms of neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and restoration of neuroplasticity associated with depression. This review explores the neuroprotective mechanisms by which postbiotics alleviate depression, including the modulation of neurotransmitter synthesis, suppression of neuroinflammation, mitigation of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, and restoration of neuroplasticity. Furthermore, postbiotics hold potential as adjuvant therapy alongside conventional antidepressants, enhancing treatment efficacy and minimizing side effects. Despite promising initial findings, challenges such as standardized formulation, clinical dose optimization, and regulatory framework development must be addressed. Large-scale clinical trials are imperative to validate their therapeutic potential and facilitate integration into mainstream depression management. As research advances, postbiotics may redefine mental health treatment, emerging as a revolutionary microbiome-based approach for long-term patient care.
抑郁症是一种以持续悲伤和快感缺失为特征的使人衰弱的情绪障碍，影响着全球数百万人，但现有的治疗方法仍不尽人意，且常常会导致不良副作用。新出现的证据凸显了肠道微生物群通过肠-脑轴调节心理健康的关键作用，为新的治疗策略铺平了道路。根据临床前和临床研究，肠道微生物群失调与抑郁症之间存在因果关系，即通过肠-脑轴（GBA）调节大脑活动，而针对微生物的关键是治疗抑郁症的关键。后生元——发酵后产生的生物活性化合物——已被证明具有多种健康益处，尤其是在神经炎症、神经递质失衡、线粒体功能障碍以及与抑郁症相关的神经可塑性恢复方面。这篇综述探讨了后生元缓解抑郁症的神经保护机制，包括神经递质合成的调节、神经炎症的抑制、氧化应激和线粒体功能障碍的减轻以及神经可塑性的恢复。此外，后生元作为传统抗抑郁药的辅助疗法具有潜力，可提高治疗效果并将副作用降至最低。尽管初步研究结果很有前景，但仍需解决标准化配方、临床剂量优化和监管框架制定等挑战。大规模临床试验对于验证其治疗潜力并促进其融入主流抑郁症管理至关重要。随着研究的进展，后生元可能会重新定义心理健康治疗，成为一种基于微生物群的革命性长期患者护理方法。
