Objective：To discuss the effect of Chaihu Shugan powder combined with escitalopram oxalate on levels of norepinephrine(NE)and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)，social functioning and adverse reactions in patients with depression of liver qi stagnation type.Methods：Selected 96 cases of patients with depression of liver qi stagnation type，and divided them into the control group and the treatment group randomly，48 cases in each group.The control group received escitalopram oxalate，while the treatment group additionally received the oral administration of Chaihu Shugan powder.Compared the clinical effect，status of depression，social functioning，levels of NE and 5-HT and the incidence of adverse reactions in both groups.Results：The total effective rate was 95.83% in the treatment group，being significantly higher than 81.25% in the control group(P ＜ 0.05).Before treatment，comparing the scores of Hamilton depression rating scale(HAMD)，social disability screening schedule(SDSS)and the item of social functioning in SF-36 in both groups，there was no significant difference being found(P＞0.05).After treatment for 8 weeks，the scores of HAMD and SDSS in both groups were lower than those before treatment(P ＜ 0.05)，and the scores of social functioning in SF-36 were higher than those before treatment(P ＜ 0.05)；the scores of HAMD and SDSS in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group(P＜ 0.05)，and the score of social functioning in SF-36 was higher than that in the control group(P＜ 0.05).Before treatment，comparing the levels of NE and 5-HT in both groups，there was no significant difference being found(P＞ 0.05).After treatment for 8 weeks，the levels of NE and 5-HT in both groups were higher than those before treatment(P ＜ 0.05)，and the levels of NE and 5-HT in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion：The application of Chaihu Shugan powder combined with escitalopram oxalate has exact clinical effect in treating patients with depression of liver qi stagnation type.It can significantly improve the status of depression，evidently increase the levels of NE and 5-HT in serum and effectively promote the recovery of social functioning，which has high safety of medication.