Mijailović NR, Milojević-Rakić M, Mihajlović K. Polyphenols: A top-down approach to nutrition and depression. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(9): 107828 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i9.107828]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Nataša R Mijailović, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovica 69 Street, Kragujevac 34000, Serbia. nacakg@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Psychiatry. Sep 19, 2025; 15(9): 107828 Published online Sep 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i9.107828
Polyphenols: A top-down approach to nutrition and depression
Nataša R Mijailović, Maja Milojević-Rakić, Katarina Mihajlović
Nataša R Mijailović, Katarina Mihajlović, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac 34000, Serbia
Maja Milojević-Rakić, Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
Author contributions: Mijailović NR conceptualized the manuscript; Mijailović NR and Mihajlović K structured the manuscript; Mijailović NR, Milojević-Rakić M, and Mihajlović K wrote the manuscript and provided feedback; All authors gave their consent to the submitted version of the manuscript.
Supported by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, No. 451-03-137/2025-03/200111 and No. 451-03-137/2025-03/200146.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Nataša R Mijailović, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovica 69 Street, Kragujevac 34000, Serbia. nacakg@gmail.com
Received: April 1, 2025 Revised: April 28, 2025 Accepted: July 8, 2025 Published online: September 19, 2025 Processing time: 150 Days and 14 Hours
Abstract
Depression is a common psychiatric condition with a considerable influence on global health. Although current pharmacotherapeutic choices are of indisputable relevance, there is sustained interest in natural medicines for treating depressive symptoms. Polyphenols, a class of plant-derived natural compounds, have received attention due to their possible neuroprotective and anti-depressive properties. In this review, we aimed to present the intricate mechanisms through which polyphenols modulate inflammation, neurogenesis, oxidative stress, and the gut microbiota. Consumption of polyphenol-rich diets is emerging as a non-invasive, natural, and cost-effective approach to supporting brain health, with potential influence on depressive symptoms. While there have been promising results, more research is needed to draw solid conclusions regarding the medicinal potential of polyphenols.
Core Tip: Dietary polyphenols are promising nutraceuticals for treating brain disorders. They have been elucidated as a non-invasive, natural, and cost-effective approach to alleviating depressive symptoms. Polyphenols may target a variety of pathophysiological pathways to exert neuroprotective effects. These effects may be accomplished by modulating inflammatory pathways and the immune system, trophic factors, neurotransmitters, gut microbiota, and oxidative stress. Understanding these mechanisms may lead to more tailored therapeutic strategies and novel antidepressant therapies. Clinical studies regarding polyphenols are crucial to support the beneficial effects of these compounds as demonstrated in preclinical research.
