Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy on the treatment of depression and the influence to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) with Jieyu Anshen decoction plus Paroxetine. Method: Eighty-five patients were randomly divided into observation group (n=43) and control group (n=42). Patients in control group were treated with Paroxetine (20 mg

qd) and the dose was gradually adjusting. Jieyu Anshen decoction (one dose per day and six weeks as one cycle) was added to patients in observation group based on the treatment of the control group. HAMD

Chinese medical symptom rating

BDNF level were recorded. Result: The total efficacy of the observation group (95.34%) was significantly better than the control group (80.95%) (P<0.05). The HAMD score was decreased after treatment in two groups (P <0.01) and the score of observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.01). Serum BDNF levels in the two groups were higher after treatment in the two groups (P <0.01) and the observation group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.01). The effective rate of Chinese medicine syndrome in the observation group (95.34%) was better than the control group (76.19%) (P<0.05). The main symptom score of the observation group were significantly lower than the control group after treatment (P<0.01). Conclusion: Treatment of Jieyu Anshen decoction combined with paroxetine in the treatment of depression could reduce the HAMD score and symptom scores

improve the clinical efficacy of disease and Chinese medical syndromes

it could also elevated serum BDNF levels

this may be an important mechanism of action.