Objective: To study anxiolytic activity of valeportriate isolated from the root of Valeriana jatamansi. Method: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups for daily intragastric administration of drugs: valeportriate high-dose (20 mg ·kg-1)

valeportriate medium-dose (10 mg ·kg-1)

valeportriate low-dose (5 mg ·kg-1)

the positive drug group and normal control group

treated ig for 10 days. Adopting the international common-used anxiety animal model with the elevated plus-maze test (EPM)

we observed the effect of anti-anxiety of valeportiate from the angle of behavior. Result: The results of EPM showed that DZP and valeportriate medium-dose group obviously increased the percentages of open arm time (14.07%

38.09%

37.42%

P<0.01) and entry (16.98%

30.10%

37.19%

P<0.05 or P<0.01) comparing with control group. Conclusion: Valeportriate has obvious anti-anxiety activity.