COMPOSITION COMPRISING FLAVONOID-BASED COMPOUND AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT FOR PREVENTION, ALLEVIATION, OR TREATMENT OF STRESS OR DEPRESSION

摘要

The present invention relates to a composition comprising a flavonoid-based compound as an active ingredient for prevention, alleviation, or treatment of stress or depression and, more particularly, to a health functional food composition or pharmaceutical composition comprising saponarin as an active ingredient for prevention or alleviation of stress or depression. According to the present invention, saponarin restores superoxide dismutase and corticosterone to normal values in stress hormone-administered depression animal models as well as alleviating depression and anxiety behaviors in a tail suspension test and a forced swimming test. As such, saponarin can be advantageously used to prepare a health functional food or medicine for prevention, alleviation, or treatment of stress or depression.