*Review* **Antidepressant Potential of Cinnamic Acids: Mechanisms of Action and Perspectives in Drug Development**

**Lúcio Ricardo Leite Diniz 1, Marilia Trindade de Santana Souza 1, Joice Nascimento Barboza 2, Reinaldo Nóbrega de Almeida 3 and Damião Pergentino de Sousa 2,\***


Academic Editor: Raffaele Pezzani

Received: 15 November 2019; Accepted: 28 November 2019; Published: 6 December 2019

**Abstract:** Depression is a health problem that compromises the quality of life of the worlds population. It has different levels of severity and a symptomatic profile that affects social life and performance in work activities, as well as a high number of deaths in certain age groups. In the search for new therapeutic options for the treatment of this behavioral disorder, the present review describes studies on antidepressant activity of cinnamic acids, which are natural products found in medicinal plants and foods. The description of the animal models used and the mechanisms of action of these compounds are discussed.

**Keywords:** natural products; phenylpropanoids; phenolic acids; plants; depression; behavioral disorders; forced swim test; tail suspension test
