Antidepressant-like properties of cocoa’s polyphenols The role of flavanoids and flavanols on depression
Javelot H, Messaoudi M, Jacquelin C, Violle N, Bisson JF, Nejdi A, Rozan P, Desor D. - 2009, Agro Food Industry Hi Tech 20:19-21
In the last ten years, cocoa and bitter chocolate with a high content of cocoa have received much attention due to their significant polyphenol contents, and thus, have been recognized as significant sources of phytochemicals with healthful effects. Increasing evidence from experimental preclinical and clinical studies using cocoa polyphenols extracts or dark chocolate suggest an important role for these high-flavanol-containing products in various human pathologies. In fact, cocoa’s polyphenols are susceptible to induce stimulant, relaxant, euphoriant, tonic and antidepressant effects. This article reviews the various cocoa’s flavanols, aiming to establish their implications on mood state, particularly on depression, a major public health problem affecting about 12 percent of the world population.
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