Advances in Medicinal Plants with Effects on Anxiety Behavior Associated to Mental and Health Conditions

Background: Many mental health conditions including psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative conditions are poorly responsive for actual medications or have low patient adherence to treatment due to the side effects or costs associated with these treatments. Objective: The main goal of this review is to provide clinical providers and patients with actualized information about the efficacy of selected herbal medicines for anxiety disorders derived from mental and/or health conditions, and their associated side effects. Methods: In this review, actual scientific advances about the use of medicinal plants for anxiety disorders are presented. Results: In recent years, the herbal therapies have reemerged as a source of efficacious natural treatments, at a lower cost and most of the time reduced side effects than currently prescribed pharmaceutical drugs. The herbs described mainly correspond to plants of traditional medicine from the American continent and near islands and Asia. Conclusion: Current evidence confirms the therapeutic effects of traditional medicine. Further clinical investigation is required to confirm these findings. The current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in psychiatric disorders, as well as the new advances in brain imaging permit a rapid and serious evaluation of anxiolytic compounds.