St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is the most-prescribed antidepressant in Germany, where it is prepared using stringent quality control standards. In the U.S., two German brands are marketed as Kira and Perika. You can also use more than the "standard" dose of 900 mg/day, up to the point where side effects become intolerable. There is no known toxic threshold to be concerned with. There is also the Ayurvedic herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), which has many antidepressant and sleep regulating properties. You might also try Rhodiola rosea (a.k.a. golden root, or rose root), which is an adaptogen with antidepressant properties. Any of these can also be augmented with Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), also an adaptogen, but you should only consider the combination after you've titrated to a comfortable dose of the primary herb.

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