Curcumin for depression
Published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the findings of a recent systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that curcumin might be useful as an adjunctive treatment in depressive disorders (1).
The study included nine clinical trials (531 participants; aged 33 to 63 years old), varying in duration from 4 to 12 weeks and with curcumin doses ranging from 150 to 1,500 mg/day. The depression levels of the participants in the studies varied from moderate to severe, and in most studies, the participants were already taking antidepressants.
In this meta-analysis, curcumin was shown to have a considerable reduction on symptoms of depression and anxiety and was well-tolerated. Curcumin improved depressive symptoms when compared with control or placebo. Curcumin dosage, depression severity, type, study duration, and quality had no apparent effect on the findings (1).
In experimental studies, the antidepressant-like effects of curcumin were comparable to those observed after treatment with classical antidepressants including fluoxetine and imipramine (2,3,4). In a human study, curcumin supplementation (1,000 mg/day) for six weeks was as effective as fluoxetine (20 mg/day) for improving symptoms of major depressive disorder (3).
Given that depression is often associated with inflammation and oxidative stress (5,6), the potential beneficial effects of curcumin in the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety are largely attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities (7,8).
Other biological effects of curcumin involve its impact on serotonin and dopamine release, in the inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and in the regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (7).
Oral supplementation with curcumin (1000 mg/day) as an adjunct to escitalopram reduced plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and salivary cortisol (9). Curcumin increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) compared with placebo treatment in depressed patients, suggesting that curcumins' antidepressant activity is mediated via the HPA axis and BDNF signalling pathway, which are often dysregulated in mood disorders (9).
Curcumin is a promising therapy for depression and anxiety; however, clinical effects need to be confirmed in longer clinical trials with a larger number of participants.
