Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. May 19, 2024; 14(5): 607-623
Published online May 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i5.607
Exploring the transformative impact of traditional Chinese medicine on depression: Insights from animal models
Yan Yang, Yan-Kun Chen, Meng-Zhou Xie
Yan Yang, School of Nursing, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410200, Hunan Province, China
Yan-Kun Chen, Precision Medicine R&D Center, Zhuhai Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhuhai 519000, Guangdong Province, China
Yan-Kun Chen, Meng-Zhou Xie, School of Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410200, Hunan Province, China
Meng-Zhou Xie, Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Medicinal and Functional Food, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410200, Hunan Province, China
Meng-Zhou Xie, Key Laboratory of TCM Heart and Lung Syndrome Differentiation and Medicated Diet and Dietotherapy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410200, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: Yang Y and Chen YK designed the research and study conceptualization; Yang Y and Xie MZ wrote the paper; Chen YK and Xie MZ received the funding for this study; Chen YK and Xie MZ reviewed the data; Yang Y revised the paper. All the authors approved the final version of the submitted paper.
Supported by the 2022 Hunan Provincial Department of Education Scientific Research Project, No. 22C0188; and the 2022 Key R&D Projects in Hunan Province, No. 2020SK2123.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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: Meng-Zhou Xie, MD, PhD, Professor, School of Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 300, Bachelor Road, Hanpu Science and Education Park, Yuelu District, Changsha 410200, Hunan Province, China. xiemengzhou@hnucm.edu.cn
Received: November 27, 2023
Revised: February 6, 2024
Accepted: April 28, 2024
Published online: May 19, 2024
Processing time: 171 Days and 1.1 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emerges as a promising area for intervention in the face of the global health burden that depression poses. This review scrutinizes the efficacy of TCM in alleviating depression, delving into the intricate mechanisms behind herbal formulations, acupuncture, and mind-body practices. As one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide, depression demands innovative approaches, and the integration of complementary and alternative medicine offers a compelling avenue. Through evaluating research studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses, this review not only assesses the current state of TCM in depression management but also its potential for transformative impact, bridging ancient roots with modern resilience.