Plant-derived Natural Products in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Mechanisms of Action and Synergistic Roles...

Plant-derived natural products have emerged as promising therapeutic agents for neurological and psychiatric disorders due to their diverse bioactive compounds and multi-target mechanisms of action. This review provides a mechanistic overview of medicinal plants and probiotics in modulating key pathological processes underlying disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and major depressive disorder. A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify relevant studies examining the neuroprotective, metabolic, and anti-inflammatory effects of plant-derived compounds, probiotics, and SGLT2 inhibitors. The findings highlight shared mechanisms, including attenuation of oxidative stress, suppression of neuroinflammation, modulation of mitochondrial function, and regulation of the gut-brain axis. Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids demonstrate significant potential in improving neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. Probiotics further contribute through microbiota-mediated regulation of neurotransmitters and immune responses. SGLT2 inhibitors are discussed as a comparative pharmacological model exhibiting overlapping mechanisms. Collectively, these integrative approaches provide a mechanistic framework for understanding how plant-derived compounds, probiotics, and metabolically active pharmacological models may influence shared pathways involved in neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, most proposed neuroprotective and synergistic effects require further validation through standardized formulations, well-designed clinical trials, and careful safety assessment before they can be translated into routine clinical practice.