Background Xiaobuxin-Tang,a traditional Chinese herbal prescription recorded in a silk scroll unearthed from MogaoCaves of Dunhuang has been indicated that it can remit depressive disorder.The present study was designed toinvestigate its antidepressant effects in various animal depression models.Methods Xiaobuxin-Tang was extracted by 70% alcohol,and then three behavioral despair models and5-Hydroxytryptophan(HTP)-induced head twitch response model were adopted to assess the antidepressant effects ofthe ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang with the study on spontaneous motor activity.Groups of mice and rats receivedoral treatment with Xiaobuxin-Tang(150-1200 mg/kg)only once acutely in all tests.The duration of immobility wasmeasured during the last 4 minutes of the 6-minutes test period in mice forced swimming test,rats forced swimming testand mice tail suspension test.In 5-HTP-induced head twitch response,the mice were intraperitoneally administered with120 mg/kg of L-5-HTP,and then the cumulative number of head twitches was counted in 20 minutes.Spontaneous motoractivities of mice were recorded automatically in 10 minutes by VIDEOMEX-V image analytic system.Results The extract at doses of 300 mg/kg(p.o.)and 600 mg/kg(p.o.)significantly decreased the duration of immobilitytime in a dose dependent manner in mice forced swimming test;also,the extract at dose of 1200 mg/kg(p.o.)significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in rat forced swimming test.Furthermore,the extract at a dose of600 mg/kg had the same effect in mice tail suspension test.Meanwhile,the extract at the effective doses for behavioraldespair models,had no effect on spontaneous motor activity in mice.The extract(300-1200 mg/kg,p.o.)also increasedthe accumulative number of the 5-HTP-induced head twitch response in mice in 20 minutes.Conclusion Our results suggested that the ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang exerts antidepressant-like effect. Background Xiaobuxin-Tang,a traditional Chinese herbal prescription recorded in a silk scroll unearthed from MogaoCaves of Dunhuang has been indicated that it can remit depressive disorder.The present study was designed toinvestigate its antidepressant effects in various animal depression models.Methods Xiaobuxin-Tang was Extracted by 70% alcohol,and then three behavioral despair models and5-Hydroxytryptophan(HTP)-induced head twitch response models were adopted to assess the antidepressant effects of the ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang with the study on spontaneous motor activity.Groups of mice and Rats receivedoral treatment with Xiaobuxin-Tang(150-1200 mg/kg)only once acutely in all tests.The duration of immobility was measured during the last 4 minutes of the 6-minutes test period in mice forced swimming test,rats forced swimming testand mice Tail suspension test.In 5-HTP-induced head twitch response,the mice were intraperitoneally administered with 120 mg/kg of L-5-HTP,and then th e cumulative number of head twitches was counted in 20 minutes.Spontaneous motoractivities of mice were recorded automatically in 10 minutes by VIDEOMEX-V image analytic system.Results The extract at doses of 300 mg/kg(po)and 600 mg/kg(po )Significantly decreased the duration of immobilitytime in a dose dependent manner in mice forced swimming test;also,the extract at dose of 1200 mg/kg(po)significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in rat forced swimming test.Furthermore,the extract at a dose of600 mg/kg had the same effect in mice tail suspension test.Meanwhile,the extract at the effective doses for behavioraldespair models,had no effect on spontaneous motor activity in mice.The extract(300-1200 mg/kg,po) Also increasedthe accumulative number of the 5-HTP-induced head twitch response in mice in 20 minutes.Conclusion Our results suggested that the ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang exerts antidepressant-like effect.