Herbal Plants for Mental Disorders in Sri Lanka

Abstract

A mental disorder, also referred to as a psychiatric disorder or mental illness, is characterized by significant disturbances in an individual’s thinking, emotions, or behavior. In Ayurveda, herbal plants are used as alternative therapies for various ailments, including mental disorders. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of herbal medicines used in treating mental disorders in Sri Lanka. It relies on foundational books as primary sources to systematically identify and analyze the therapeutic potential of 24 traditional medicinal plants for treating mental disorders. Each plant was evaluated based on its scientific name, plant parts used, distribution in Sri Lanka, mechanisms of action, and identified phytochemicals. Furthermore, additional research was conducted using keywords such as mental disorders, herbal plants, plant distribution, phytochemicals, side effects, and mechanism of action through scientific databases. The phytochemicals present in these herbal plants possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, contributing to their potential antipsychotic activities. Trigonelline (from Abrus precatorius), bacosides (from Bacopa monnieri), asiaticoside and asiatic acid (from Centella asiatica), quercetin (from Ginkgo biloba), alliin and allicin (from Allium sativum), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (from Eclipta alba), and shogaol (from Zingiber officinale) demonstrate significant potential in modulating neurotransmitter levels, reducing oxidative stress, and alleviating symptoms associated with mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases. The suggested therapeutic value of these identified herbal plants and their bioactive phytochemicals indicates the need for preserving and extensively investigating these remedies to establish their clinical effectiveness.

Keywords

Herbal plants / Mental disorders / Ayurveda / Phytochemicals / Sri Lanka / Neuroprotection / Depression / Anxiety disorders

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to the Library of the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine at the University of Colombo, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka, and the Pallekale Provincial Ayurvedic Hospital in Kandy, Sri Lanka for generously providing their resources to facilitate the data col-lection for this review.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in the publication of this manuscript.

Author contributions

Conceptualization (BJ, SG), acquisition of data (RS), analysis and interpretation of data (RS, SG), drafting the manuscript (RS), critical revision of the manuscript (SG, BJ), and study supervision (SG, BJ). All authors have made a significant contribution to this study and have approved the final manuscript.

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