Objective        To investigate the putative anxiolytic effect of rhynchophylla total alkaloids (RTA).       Methods        The internationally accepted elevated plus-maze anxiety animal model (EPM) in rats and the anticipatory anxiety experiment in mice were performed to observe the effects of RTAⅠ[200 mg/(kg·d)]

RTAⅡ[400 mg/(kg·d)] and RTAⅢ[800 mg/(kg·d)] on the behavior of rats and mice. Then the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters including norepinephrine (NE)

dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in rat brain tissues were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).       Results       Compared with the control group

the percentage of the times of rats entering the open arm (OE%) and percentage of time spent in the open arm (OT%) were significantly higher (P0.05) in all the RTA treatment groups. There was no stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) in the mice of three RTA groups. The contents of NE

DA and 5-HT in rat brain tissues decreased significantly in all the RTA groups as compared with the control group (P0.05).       Conclusion       According to the rat EMP model and mice anticipatory anxiety experiment

RTA shows certain anxiolytic effect

and the mechanism may be related to the reduction of NE

DA and 5-HT in the brain tissues of EMP rats.