An abundant literature suggests that obesity-associated with taking a high fat diet is related to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, metabolic disorders may be involved in the induction of the anxiogenic-like symptoms. The current study was designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which a high fat diet (HFD) can cause several complications in the WISTAR rats (Rattus norvegicus) brain. Oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by chamomile decoction extract (CDE) were also studied. The results demonstrated that the increased body and brain weight, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities as well as hypercholezterolaemia in response to HFD taking were correlated with anxiogenic-like symptoms. Moreover, HFD feed caused a brain oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation, inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as SOD, CAT and GPx, depletion of a non-enzymatic antioxidant such as sulfhydryl groups and GSH. Importantly, the results also show that HFD also provoked a cerebral overload in reactive oxygen species such as OH^•, H₂O₂ and ${\mathrm{O}}_2^{\bullet -}$ as well as brain inflammation assessed by the overproduction of cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6. Interestingly, all neurobehavioral changes and all the biochemical and molecular disturbances were abolished in HFD-fed rats treated with CDE. Our results provide clear evidence that obesity and depression as well as anxiety are finely correlated and that M. recutita’s decoction may prove to be a potential therapeutic agent to mitigate the behavioral disorders, the biochemical alterations and the neuroinflammation associated to the obesity.

Medicinal plants have always had an important place in the therapeutic arsenal of humanity and particularly in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract diseases. Myrtus communis L., known as common myrtle, is native to Southern Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. The different parts of this plant are used as antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antidiabetic, urinary antiseptic, and to treat the respiratory and digestive systems diseases. For the first time, an exhaustive bibliographic research of the seeds of myrtle berries has been carried out. As a result, it has been found that this plant is very rich in biologically active compounds such as phospholipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. This has made it effective in the treatment of digestive diseases. In order to emphasize the importance of myrtle berries seeds, this review has been established by discussing its botanical, morphological, phytochemical, ethnomedicinal studies as well as its effect on digestive tract diseases.