Objective:To study the antidepressant effects of Albizzia Julibrissin Flower total flavonoids (AJFTF) and explore its mechanism preliminarily. Method: Ninty SD rats were randomly divided into normal group

model group

venlafaxine hydrochloride group (0.012 5 g·kg-1)

and high

middle

low dosages of AJFTF groups(0.10

0.05

0.025 g·kg-1). Depression model rats were induced by solitary cultivation plus chronic stress. Rats in venlafaxine hydrochloride and AJFTF groups were orally administered with Venlafaxine Hydrochloride or AJFTF once daily for 21 days

and rats in normal and model groups with equal volume distilled water. The behavior changes were determined by open field test

and the behavior and hippocampal CA3 neurons apoptosis were determined by TUNEL assay. Result: Compared with the normal group

horizontal movements and vertical movements scores in 3 min of open field test in model group were significantly lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01)

and the numbers of apoptotic and positive cells in hippocampal CA3 region were significantly increased (P<0.01).Compared with the model group

3 min horizontal movements and vertical movements scores of open field test in venlafaxine hydrochloride group

AJFTF (0.10

0.05

0.025 g·kg-1) dosage groups were significantly higher (P<0.05 or P<0.01)

and the numbers of apoptotic and positive cells in hippocampal CA3 region were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Conclusion: AJFTF has antidepressant effects

and its mechanism may be related to antagonizing the hippocampal neurons apoptosis of CA3 region.