Neurobiological Basis of Eriodictyol Improving Emotional and Cognitive Functions

Emotional management is crucial for physical and mental health, and the role of natural compounds in emotional regulation has attracted increasing attention. Eriodictyol, a flavonoid compound found in various plants, has shown potential efficacy in emotional management in recent studies. This article reviews the source and characteristics of eriodictyol, and focuses on its research progress in emotional management, including its improving effects on negative emotions such as depression and anxiety, aiming to provide a reference for further exploring its application in the prevention and treatment of emotion-related diseases and the maintenance of mental health.

Keywords: Eriodictyol; emotional management; anti-anxiety; anti-depression; mental health

1. Introduction

In the fast-paced modern life, people are faced with various pressures, and emotional problems such as anxiety and depression are becoming increasingly common. A good emotional state not only affects mental health, but also is closely related to physical health. For example, long-term negative emotions may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, digestive system diseases and so on. Therefore, it is crucial to find effective emotional management methods. In addition to common methods such as psychological intervention, exercise and social interaction, exploring active ingredients that can regulate emotions from natural products has become one of the research hotspots. As a natural flavonoid compound, eriodictyol has been found to have a variety of biological activities, and its efficacy in emotional management has gradually attracted the attention of researchers.

2. Basic Overview of Eriodictyol

2.1 Source and Physicochemical Properties

Eriodictyol has a wide range of sources and mainly exists in some plants. Such as Eriodictyon californicum and Dracocephalum rupestre are important extraction sources. At the same time, many citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, as well as some medicinal plants and vegetables, also contain eriodictyol. This wide distribution provides convenient conditions for its research, development and utilization. For example, in the traditional processing of citrus fruits, by-products such as peels may become potential raw materials for extracting eriodictyol, realizing the comprehensive utilization of resources.

2.2 Other Biological Activities

A large number of studies have shown that eriodictyol has a variety of biological activities. It can scavenge free radicals in the body and reduce the damage of oxidative stress to cells. For example, in some cell experiments, after adding eriodictyol, the content of oxidation products in cells is significantly reduced, while the activity of antioxidant enzymes is significantly increased. In terms of anti-inflammation, eriodictyol can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors, thereby reducing inflammatory reactions. In addition, eriodictyol has also been reported to have various pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, neuroprotection, cardioprotection and hepatoprotection. These diverse biological activities suggest that it may have complex and extensive mechanisms in regulating human physiological functions, and also provide a certain basis for its potential efficacy in emotional management.

3. Research on Eriodictyol in Emotional Management

3.1 Impact on Depressive Emotions

3.1.1 Evidence from Animal Experiments

A number of animal experiments have confirmed that eriodictyol can improve depression-like behaviors. In the rat depression model induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), researchers gave rats different doses of eriodictyol by oral gavage once a day for 14 days. The results showed that eriodictyol could produce antidepressant effects in the forced swimming test (FST) in a dose-dependent manner, that is, significantly reduce the immobility time of rats. In another study, using a reserpine-induced mouse depression model, after giving mice extracts containing eriodictyol, it was found that the weight loss of mice was alleviated, and through Nissl staining, it was observed that the number of normal neurons in the mouse brain increased, which indicated that eriodictyol might improve depressive symptoms by protecting nerve cells.

3.1.2 Potential Mechanisms of Action

We know that neurotransmitters such as serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) play a key role in emotional regulation. The mechanism of action of many antidepressant drugs is to regulate the levels or functions of these neurotransmitters. Eriodictyol may regulate the synthesis, release or reuptake of neurotransmitters in some way, thereby improving depressive symptoms. For example, some studies suggest that eriodictyol may be involved in regulating the metabolic process of serotonin, but the specific action sites and ways need further in-depth research. On the other hand, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of eriodictyol may also be involved in the antidepressant process. Chronic stress often leads to increased oxidative stress levels and activation of inflammatory reactions in the body. These abnormal changes may damage nerve cells, thereby causing depressive symptoms. Eriodictyol can scavenge free radicals, inhibit the release of inflammatory factors, reduce the damage of nerve cells, help maintain the normal function of the nervous system, and thus improve depressive emotions.

3.2 Impact on Anxiety Emotions

3.2.1 Relevant Research Findings

Some studies have focused on the regulatory effect of eriodictyol on anxiety emotions. Mice were exposed to an anxiety-inducing environment and then treated with eriodictyol. Through behavioral tests, it was found that the number of times mice treated with eriodictyol entered the open arms of the elevated plus maze increased, and the residence time in the central area of the open field test was prolonged. These behavioral performances suggest that the anxiety level of mice is reduced. In addition, in the preliminary study on human volunteers, let people with mild anxiety take preparations containing eriodictyol. After a period of time, through questionnaires and psychological assessments, it was found that the scores of anxiety self-rating scales of some volunteers decreased, and they subjectively felt that their anxiety emotions were alleviated to a certain extent.

3.2.2 Potential Modes of Action

There are multiple regions in the brain involved in the generation and regulation of anxiety emotions, such as the amygdala and hippocampus. Eriodictyol may affect the activity of neurons in these regions, regulate the transmission of nerve signals, thereby reducing anxiety reactions. In addition, when the human body is in a state of anxiety, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated, leading to increased secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol. Long-term high levels of cortisol will have a variety of adverse effects on the body and further aggravate anxiety symptoms. Eriodictyol may inhibit the excessive activation of the HPA axis, reduce the secretion of cortisol, thereby relieving anxiety emotions.

4. Existing Research and Prospects

At present, the research on eriodictyol in emotional management is focused on animal experiments, and there are relatively few human clinical trials, which makes our understanding of the specific efficacy, optimal dose, safety and the impact of long-term use of eriodictyol in humans limited. Future research can carry out more high-quality human clinical trials, including populations of different ages, genders and health conditions, to comprehensively evaluate the emotional regulation efficacy and safety of eriodictyol in humans, and determine its optimal dosage and course of treatment. It can also use advanced technical means, such as proteomics and metabolomics, to conduct in-depth research on the molecular mechanism of eriodictyol regulating emotions, clarify its key targets and signaling pathways, and provide a more solid theoretical basis for the development of eriodictyol-based emotional regulation drugs or functional foods. At the same time, we can explore the combined use of eriodictyol with other natural ingredients or drugs with emotional regulation effects, study their synergistic effects, and provide more effective intervention measures for emotional management.

5. Conclusion

Eriodictyol, as a flavonoid compound, shows certain potential in emotional management. Animal experiments and preliminary human studies have shown that it can improve negative emotions such as depression and anxiety, and may play a role through various pathways such as regulating the neurotransmitter system, anti-oxidation and affecting the neuroendocrine system. Although there are some deficiencies in current research, with the deepening of research, it is expected to further reveal its mechanism of action, provide more sufficient scientific basis for its application in the prevention and treatment of emotion-related diseases and the maintenance of mental health, and provide a new choice for people to deal with emotional problems.

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