Objective: To investigate the anxiolytic effect of Bentuntang(BTT) in mice with chronic restraint stress and explore its possible mechanism from the perspective of the central neurotransmitter. Method: The 72 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: saline group

model group

BTT low dose (3.51 g·kg-1)

BTT middle dose (10.53 g·kg-1)

BTT high dose group (31.59 g·kg-1) and diazepam group (4 mg·kg-1). All the drugs were administrated by intragastric administration for 30 days. Chronic restraint stress was used to induce mice anxiety models; open field test

locomotion activity test

elevated plus maze tests and light/dark box test were used to analyze the protective effect of BTT in stressed mice from the behavioral prospective; high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection were used for detection of glutamate (Glu) and gamma aminobutyric acid(GABA) contents；the expression levels of GABAa-Rα5

GABA transporter (GAT-1) and GAT-3 in hippocampus were detected by Western blot. Result: The experimental results showed that as compared with the model group

high dose BTT could significantly improve the time in the central region in open field test(P<0.05)

increase the entries and time in open arms in elevated plus maze tests (P<0.05); increase the level of GABA in the hippocampus (P<0.05)

and decrease glutamate level (P<0.05). In addition

the protein expression levels of GAT-1 and GAT-3 in hippocampus were decreased. Conclusion: BTT could improve the chronic restraint stress-induced anxiety in mice

possibly by regulating the contents of amino acid neurotransmitters via decreasing GAT-1 and GAT-3 protein expression levels in the central nervous system .