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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
Evidences for the involvement of monoaminergic and GABAergic systems in antidepressant-like activity of garlic extract in mice.
OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the ethanolic extract of Allium sativum L. (Family: Lilliaceae), commonly known as garlic, on depression in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ethanolic extract of garlic (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was administered orally for 14 successive days to young Swiss albino mice of either sex and antidepressant-like activity was evaluated employing tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST). The efficacy of the extract was compared with standard antidepressant drugs like fluoxetine and imipramine. The mechanism of action of the extract was investigated by co-administration of prazosin (alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist), sulpiride (selective D2-receptor antagonist), baclofen (GABA(B) agonist) and p-CPA (serotonin antagonist) separately with the extract and by studying the effect of the extract on brain MAO-A and MAO-B levels. RESULTS: Garlic extract (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly decreased immobility time in a dose-dependent manner in both TST and FST, indicating significant antidepressant-like activity. The efficacy of the extract was found to be comparable to fluoxetine (20 mg/kg p.o.) and imipramine (15 mg/kg p.o.) in both TST and FST. The extract did not show any significant effect on the locomotor activity of the mice. Prazosin, sulpiride, baclofen and p-CPA significantly attenuated the extract-induced antidepressant-like effect in TST. Garlic extract (100 mg/kg) administered orally for 14 successive days significantly decreased brain MAO-A and MAO-B levels, as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Garlic extract showed significant antidepressant-like activity probably by inhibiting MAO-A and MAO-B levels and through interaction with adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic and GABAergic systems.
Posted by janejane on January 14, 2010, at 12:19:45
In reply to Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
Very interesting. I like garlic quite a bit, so this is good news, though I wonder how well the results of this study carry over to human depression. 25mg/kg also sounds like a lot so I suppose you'd have to take supplements to get a therapeutic effect. Even so, I'm going to use this as an excuse to eat more of my favorite stinky foods. ;-P
Posted by Phillipa on January 14, 2010, at 12:51:08
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels » Netch, posted by janejane on January 14, 2010, at 12:19:45
Don't laugh but I wonder if those that wore cloves of garlic around their necks knew something we didn't. As a side note and totally true it acts as a natural antibiotic I once years ago had an ear that hurt badly I stopped at the health food store and they said put a peeled clove a bit into your ear, add a few drop of warm castor oil and put warm cloth over it laying down. I did and could feel warmth flow through all my body. In 15 minutes was well and went out shopping. Seriously it's true. Garlic maybe it's like digoxin a natural substance that has many theraputic properties. I believe the above. Jane eat more garlic and see if it makes you feel super good? Phillipa
Posted by linkadge on January 14, 2010, at 17:46:58
In reply to Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
Yes, I've known this for a little while now (that garlic has antidepressant properites) as does turmeric.
Its funny, there are a number of herbs and spices (nutracuticals) that have antidepresant properties. Its only till you read a "scientific" abstract that people think hmm.
I'm not sure if the AD effect of garlic is solely due to the quercetin (which has MAOI and COMT inhibitig properties) or synergy with other compounds.
Garlic is also a HDAC inhibitor. HDAC inhibitors are capable of reducing the hypermethylation seen in certain forms of learned helplessness.
Linkadge
Posted by janejane on January 14, 2010, at 19:35:00
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by linkadge on January 14, 2010, at 17:46:58
> Yes, I've known this for a little while now (that garlic has antidepressant properites) as does turmeric.
>
> Its funny, there are a number of herbs and spices (nutracuticals) that have antidepresant properties. Its only till you read a "scientific" abstract that people think hmm.
>
> I'm not sure if the AD effect of garlic is solely due to the quercetin (which has MAOI and COMT inhibitig properties) or synergy with other compounds.
>
> Garlic is also a HDAC inhibitor. HDAC inhibitors are capable of reducing the hypermethylation seen in certain forms of learned helplessness.
>
> Linkadge
>
>
>Very interesting. You know, it got me thinking. Phillipa's already mentioned garlic's antibiotic property. Couldn't that, as well as it's anti-inflammatory action also possibly contribute to it's AD effects, depending on the cause of one's depression? Seems like the stuff could be helpful on many levels.
And yeah, I've read about turmeric too (heard about it here first, in fact). Guess I need to increase my curry consumption as well!
Posted by Phillipa on January 14, 2010, at 19:57:57
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels » linkadge, posted by janejane on January 14, 2010, at 19:35:00
Jane good thought about the antiinflammatory response as I know first hand it does that. Curry was my maiden name!!!! Love Phillipa
Posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 5:24:14
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by linkadge on January 14, 2010, at 17:46:58
> Yes, I've known this for a little while now (that garlic has antidepressant properites) as does turmeric.
>
> Its funny, there are a number of herbs and spices (nutracuticals) that have antidepresant properties. Its only till you read a "scientific" abstract that people think hmm.
>
> I'm not sure if the AD effect of garlic is solely due to the quercetin (which has MAOI and COMT inhibitig properties) or synergy with other compounds.
>
> Garlic is also a HDAC inhibitor. HDAC inhibitors are capable of reducing the hypermethylation seen in certain forms of learned helplessness.
>
> Linkadge
>
>
>The study showed reduced MAO levels. I interpret this as reduced MAO mRNA transcription.
As far as I know turmeric works as a regular MAOI./Netch
Posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 7:21:18
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels » linkadge, posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 5:24:14
> The study showed reduced MAO levels. I interpret this as reduced MAO mRNA transcription.
> As far as I know turmeric works as a regular MAOI.
>
> /Netch
>
>
>Do you happen to know whether either of them would be contraindicated with rhodiola rosea?
Posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 8:41:56
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 7:21:18
> > The study showed reduced MAO levels. I interpret this as reduced MAO mRNA transcription.
> > As far as I know turmeric works as a regular MAOI.
> >
> > /Netch
> >
> >
> >
>
> Do you happen to know whether either of them would be contraindicated with rhodiola rosea?I do not tolerate adaptogens. For me they induce anxiety, insomnia and agitation. They also poop out. So for me adaptogens are contraindicated with anything ;-) but YMMV.
Netch
Posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 9:52:19
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels » janejane, posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 8:41:56
> I do not tolerate adaptogens. For me they induce anxiety, insomnia and agitation. They also poop out. So for me adaptogens are contraindicated with anything ;-) but YMMV.
>
> Netch
>
>
>That's too bad. I'm actually surprised that rhodiola appears to be alleviating my depression (at least partially). Lots of stuff (from fish oil to 5-HTP to zoloft) causes anxiety in me, so I was pleasantly surprised that it doesn't. I really hope it doesn't poop out, though it's only been a few weeks so the possibility definitely exists. I've been trying to come up with augmentation strategies and turmeric seemed like a candidate. The science is way over my head so I was just wondering whether you knew of any inherent danger in combining them.
Posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 10:30:27
In reply to turmeric » Netch, posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 9:52:19
Turmeric is a popular culinary and medical herb so I doubt you would be in any danger :-)
although I suffer agitation and skin rash from turmeric so I try to avoid it./Netch
Posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 10:36:31
In reply to Re: turmeric, posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 10:30:27
Posted by bleauberry on January 15, 2010, at 16:42:58
In reply to Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
All I know for sure is that for the entire year of 2009, the best I felt was when I was taking garlic supplements called Allicin from Dr. Zhang.
I was taking it as one of the herbs in a combination to treat Lyme disease and its coinfections. Garlic happens to be one of the most potent antibiotics, antifungals, antiprotozoans on the planet, with a wide range of targets.
The problem was the smell. The de-odorized garlic supplements are useless. It's the smelly part where the potency is. I tried some very expensive de-odorized ones called Allimax and Allimed...tons of internet hype on them...and they were absolutely worthless. Not even an entire bottle in 3 days could match what 3 pills of Dr. Zhang's Allicin could do. The de-odorized ones might as well have been sugar pills. Junk.
So odor is a problem. Zhang claims that taking Chlorophil capsules reduces the odor.
Back to garlic. What I experienced was...better sleep, better mood, smoother energy, anti-anxiety, and just an overall feeling of being a bit better than I was before. At 3 caps 3 times per day, I was literally wreaking odor from 10 feet away. But even 1 cap with dinner feels beneficial, though not enough potency for infections.
Now that I think back on it, the relaxed improved smoother mood on garlic felt similar to very low dose Parnate. (I'm very sensitive, so low dose Parnate to me is a lot) What I'm saying is, yeah, now that I think about it, it did have the same feel as an MAOI. It was in that family sort of.
Don't waste time on odorless garlic no matter what it is you take garlic for. If eating it, cooking destroys it. So unless you chop it up when cooking is done, or eat cloves raw, it really isn't going to do much good. At least the equivalent of one raw clove a day is needed for any benefit. Infections of all kinds need more.
I did notice psychiatric improvement on garlic supplements, but couldn't quite figure out why. I just knew I was feeling it, and it was a weird mystery. Who would have ever figured.
Tumeric on the other hand I did not find helpful. Most people do.
Posted by Phillipa on January 15, 2010, at 19:15:45
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by bleauberry on January 15, 2010, at 16:42:58
So my clove of garlic in ear not far in with the warm castor oil and warm cloth was an effective antibiotic remedy as it worked seriously it did. Phillipa
Posted by linkadge on January 16, 2010, at 19:26:09
In reply to Re: turmeric, posted by Netch on January 15, 2010, at 10:30:27
Turmeric gives me insomnia, but it does improve my mood substantially.
Linkadge
Posted by Netch on January 19, 2010, at 10:05:27
In reply to Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
Here is the older garlic study that got me interested:
Therapy with garlic: results of a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
A double-blind study of 40 hypercholesterolaemic out-patients was carried out over a period of four months to examine the effects of a garlic powder preparation*. The drug group received 900 mg garlic powder per day, equivalent to 2,700 mg of fresh garlic. During the therapy, the drug group showed significantly lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure than those of the placebo group. In addition, results of a self-evaluation questionnaire indicated that patients in the drug group had a greater feeling of 'well-being'.
Posted by conundrum on January 19, 2010, at 11:24:29
In reply to Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by Netch on January 14, 2010, at 12:03:22
I wonder what combining tumeric and garlic pills would do?
Posted by Netch on January 20, 2010, at 6:14:30
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels » Netch, posted by conundrum on January 19, 2010, at 11:24:29
> I wonder what combining tumeric and garlic pills would do?
If you benefit from both supplements individually they might potentiate each other.
Posted by KarenRB53 on January 20, 2010, at 19:36:38
In reply to Re: Garlic extract decrease MAO levels, posted by janejane on January 15, 2010, at 7:21:18
> > The study showed reduced MAO levels. I interpret this as reduced MAO mRNA transcription.
> > As far as I know turmeric works as a regular MAOI.
> >
> > /Netch
> >
> >
> >
>
> Do you happen to know whether either of them would be contraindicated with rhodiola rosea?I just posted earlier about what I could use with Celexa to help with the lack of motivation and fatigue I feel from taking Celexa and "bleauberry" responded with great info about Rhodiola Rosea so I'm glad someone else is using this. Is it working well for you...are you taking it with other AD's?
Thanks
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