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Depression is a major health problem and is not only underrecognized and undertreated but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (Lamiacae) is used to treat depression. Many medicinal plant textbooks refer to this indication, whereas there is no evidence-based document. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of tincture of L. angustifolia with imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression and to evaluate the possible adjuvant effect of this tincture in a 4 week double-blind, randomized trial. Forty-five adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial. Patients have a baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of at least 18. In this double-blind, single-center trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive …