Anti-Stress Agents from Natural Origin

Abstract

An exponential rise in world population coupled with rapid industrial growth has a direct impact on environment and society thus making man easily vulnerable to stress conditions. These, in-turn, cause disturbances in the normal physiological functioning of the body by way of increased free radical generation culminating in hypertension, neurosis, immune suppression and other physical and mental disorders. Global search is on, for the development of an effective antistress drug from natural source which could effectively tone up the disturbed physiological functioning of the subjects affected by such stress problems. A number of such drugs mostly in the form of their extracts (holistic approach) or in some, as active principles isolated from them, have been evaluated for their antistress activity by a number of tests which include open field behaviour; Y-maze; Swimming endurance; effect on hexobarbitone sleeping time; stress induced ulceration; monitoring corticosterone, Ascorbic acid, MAO, SOD, SDH and neurotransmitter levels in tissues/blood and others. Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Mikania cordata, Tinospora cordifolia, Centella asiatica, Panax ginseng, Glycerrhiza glabra, Annona muricata, Polyalthea cerasoides and many others have been reported with encouraging results.