Ana Clara Figueiredo Godoy’s scientific contributions

This state-of-the-art narrative review fires up a bold mission to tackle major depressive disorder (MDD) by diving deep into its biological roots—neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The authors passionately spotlight phytochemicals like curcumin, flavonoids, and polyphenols as powerful, natural antidepressants with multimodal actions. Synthesizing cutting-edge clinical and preclinical data, they reveal how plant-based therapies can restore neuroplasticity and resilience. Their message is urgent and hopeful: it's time to move beyond symptom suppression and embrace nature-driven, personalized strategies to transform depression care worldwide.

This narrative review explores the role of phytochemicals—like curcumin, flavonoids, and polyphenols—in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). It highlights how these natural compounds target key pathological processes such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Drawing from preclinical and clinical evidence, the authors suggest that plant-based antidepressants offer multimodal benefits with fewer side effects than conventional drugs. The review advocates for more standardized trials to confirm their efficacy and support integration into personalized depression care.

Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD), a debilitating psychiatric condition, is intricately linked to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, disrupted tryptophan–kynurenine pathways, and an urgent need for novel, plant-based therapeutics such as curcumin and other natural antidepressants. Emerging evidence further highlights altered brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling in MDD, making the search for integrative, phytomedicine-oriented interventions more critical than ever. Methods: This systematic review critically analyzed 62 articles initially retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases, with 19 studies deemed eligible for comprehensive synthesis. Results: The included investigations spanned diverse populations and examined the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals to modulate neuroimmune interactions, reduce oxidative injury, and enhance mood-related biomarkers. Among the promising candidates, curcumin, polyphenols, and flavonoid-rich extracts consistently demonstrated improvements in depressive symptoms, often by targeting pro-inflammatory mediators and promoting neuroplasticity. These findings reinforce the notion that bioactive compounds from plants may serve as effective adjunctive or standalone strategies in MDD management, particularly for individuals who experience limited benefit from conventional approaches. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the growing feasibility of phytomedicine as a powerful complement to existing treatment paradigms. Future work should focus on standardized dosing, long-term safety, and mechanistic studies that clarify how plant-derived compounds can be leveraged for more robust, personalized depression care. Such integrative approaches promise to broaden therapeutic horizons and spark novel research pathways in translational neuroscience.