Wild plants in Vietnam contain anti-depressant miracle drug

According toMedical Xpress,A team of authors led by Professor Roland Strauss used fruit flies, an organism with biological processes similar to humans, to examine the effects of two traditional Indian herbs.

These are two plants with the scientific names Withania somnifera and Centella asiatica, considered medicinal in some Asian countries.

Centella asiatica herb in German research is the scientific name of gotu kola - Illustration photo from the Internet

Withania somnifera extract has shown surprising results in relieving nervous tension, even in cases of depression. This herb, also known as "Indian ginseng", has long been known in Oriental medicine.

Centella asiatica extract is even more surprising, having a more powerful effect than Ashwagandha, according to the article published inNutrients.

That would be great news because the herb that the research team calls "Indian coin plant" is what the Vietnamese call pennywort, a wild plant that grows throughout the country and is used by people in some regions to make a cooling drink, eat it raw or cook soup.

According to the authors, the miraculous effect comes from chlorogenic acid, which is abundant in gotu kola. It is also present in coffee and some other herbs with stress-reducing properties.

In animal tests, these herbs even helped to reverse chronic stress and end symptoms of depression.

The new discovery brings great news because taking advantage of a compound available in a common, easy-to-find, and cheap plant will promise to provide effective and accessible remedies to fight the disease.

Of course, further clinical trials will be needed to quantify the effects of these Asian herbs on psychiatric disorders in detail.