Assessment of phytochemicals and herbal formula for the treatment of depression through metabolomics

Depression is a widespread and persistent psychiatric disease. Due to various side effects and no cu-rative treatments of conventional antidepressant drugs, botanical medicines have attracted considerable attention as a complementary and alternative approach. The pathogenesis of depression is quite complicated and un-clear. Metabolomics is a promising new technique for the discovery of novel biomarkers for exploring the potential mechanisms of diverse diseases and assessing the therapeutic effects of drugs. In this article, we system-atically reviewed the study of botanical medicine for the treatment of depression using metabolomics over a period from 2010 to 2019. Additionally, we summarized the potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways associated with herbal medicine treatment for depression. Through a comprehensive evaluation of herbal medicine as novel antidepressants and understanding of their pharmacomechanisms, a new perspective on expanding the application of botanical medicines for the treatment of depression is provided.