Objective: To investigate the pharmacological basis of Qi regulating and depression dispersing activities for Citrus changshan-huyou as one of the habitually used varieties of Aurantii Fructus by comparing the pharmacological effects between Citrus changshan-huyou and different sources of Aurantii Fructus. Method: The 90 ICR mice were randomly divided into normal group (normal)

Citrus aurantium ‘Huangpi’ group (HP)

Citrus changshan-huyou group (CSHY)

Citrus aurantium ‘Daidai’ group(DD)

Citrus aurantium ‘Chuluan’group (CL)

with high dose (2.0 g · kg-1) and low dose (0.6 g · kg-1) for each varieties

nine groups in total

and 10 mice in each group. Mice tracheal phenol red secretion and intestinal carbon propulsion models were established and treated by oral administration. After the modeling

absorbance A of phenol red liquid samples and small intestinal telecarbon propulsion rate were measured. Tracheas and ileums were isolated from adult guinea pig to prepare contraction models of isolated tracheal smooth muscle and contraction models of isolated ileum. The drugs were added in nutrient solution

with high dose (2.50 g · L-1)

medium dose (1.25 g · L-1)

and low dose(0.50 g · L-1) groups. Effect values were measured for each dose after the modeling. Result: Compared with the normal group

all of Citrus changshan-huyou samples and Aurantii Fructus samples from 3 different sources could improve the secretion of phenol red in trachea of mice significantly

and inhibit the spontaneous contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscles in guinea pigs significantly (P<0.05)

meanwhile

all of the samples of Aurantii Fructus and Citrus changshan-huyou could also significantly improve the small intestinal telecarbon propulsion rate of the normal mice (P<0.05)

and inhibit the spontaneous contraction of the isolated ileum in guinea pigs (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between samples of Aurantii Fructus and Citrus changshan-huyou within the same dosage group. Conclusion: Citrus changshan-huyou and 3 different sources of Aurantii Fructus have no significant differences in Qi regulating and depression dispersing functions

providing the pharmacological basis of Qi regulating and depression dispersing activities for citrus changshan huyou as Aurantii Fructus.