Depression is the most common mental health problem that is associated with morbidity worldwide. It is characterized by persistent low mood, emotional responses, loss of interest, and change in appetite with the absence of positive effect. It causes difficulty in concentration and guilty feelings that leads to the thought of suicide and is the fourth leading cause of long-term disability throughout the world. Different naturally occuring compounds including green tea catechins, anthocyanins and their aglycons, cocoa extract, spinach extract, ethanolic extract, puerarin, resveratrol, B vitamins, Omega-3 and others have been used to treat depression. Cocoa extracts helps to reduce depression in rats and its main components are procyanidins. In-vivo validation of the resveratrol, a natural stilbenoid, decreases depressive  behaviors by inhibiting serotonin and nonadrenaline reuptake in rats. The purpose of this review is to highlight the alternative strategy which involves the consumption of these compounds to delay the onset of depression and depressive-like symptoms.

Keywords: Depression, natural compounds, antidepressant drugs