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World J Pharmacol. Jun 16, 2023; 12(3): 18-24
Published online Jun 16, 2023. doi: 10.5497/wjp.v12.i3.18
Commentary: Discussing the antidepressant potential of silymarin
Claire E Manhard, Brandon Lucke-Wold
Claire E Manhard, Brandon Lucke-Wold, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States
Author contributions: Manhard CE and Lucke-Wold B both designed and wrote this minireview (commentary).
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Brandon Lucke-Wold, MD, PhD, Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, 1505 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States. brandon.lucke-wold@neurosurgery.ufl.edu
Received: January 20, 2023
Peer-review started: January 20, 2023
First decision: April 28, 2023
Revised: May 10, 2023
Accepted: May 31, 2023
Article in press: May 31, 2023
Published online: June 16, 2023
Processing time: 145 Days and 8.6 Hours
Abstract

The therapeutic potential of diet, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, and nutraceuticals for treatment of depression and anxiety is being increasingly explored. In this commentary, we discuss the recent findings on the antidepressant potential of silymarin (SILY) in mice and present an alternative approach. We highlight the extensive research on another phytochemical, curcumin, for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Finally, we suggest a future application, which investigates the potential synergistic effects of combined treatment with SILY and curcumin for depression.

Keywords: Silymarin; Depression; Anxiety; Phytochemicals; Nutraceuticals; Curcumin

Core Tip: There are several reviews focused on the role of silymarin (SILY) in chronic diseases, however, there is a paucity of literature reviewing the potential antidepressant effects of SILY. This commentary serves as a discussion of the recent findings regarding the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant-like potential of SILY in mice and as a catalyst for future discovery in phytochemistry.