Psychotropic medications from natural products: A review of promising research and recommendations

Most psychotropic agents employed in allopathic medicine have limited effic acy and significant side effects. Although usually beneficial, synthetic ps ychotropics are unavailable to approximately 80% of the world's population. Improved understanding of appropriate and safe uses of naturally occurring substances as psychotropic agents will greatly contribute to global mental healthcare. Empirical validation of nonallopathic treatments to ensure saf ety and efficacy is important because increasing numbers of patients in eco nomically developed countries are using natural substances as medicinal age nts. Patients and clinicians often lack accurate information, resulting in poor treatment outcomes or the possibility of drug-drug interactions when h erbal medications are used with synthetic psychotropic medications. An impo rtant objective of this paper is to distinguish compelling scientific evide nce supporting the use of natural natural products in psychiatry from polit ical or institutional biases that hale been misrepresented as scientific ar guments. Following an overview of historical, legal, and regulatory issues, this paper presents findings of a systematic literature review an natural products used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders. Significant recent resea rch is reviewed, including emerging treatments of seizure disorders, schizo phrenia, dementia and age-related cognitive decline, depression, anxiety st ates, and substance abuse. Substantial evidence is advanced for safety and efficacy of many natural products used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms o r disorders. Preliminary findings suggest that several treatments based on natural substances are as effective and safe as synthetic pharmaceuticals i n current use. Additional studies are indicated to confirm these findings, to elucidate mechanisms of action, and to elaborate standards for safe and appropriate treatment indications. In conclusion, strategic approaches aime d at facilitating improved networking, accelerating promising research dire ctions, and enhancing quality standards of ongoing investigations into puta tive psychotropic agents from natural sources are recommended.