ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish the liver-depression and spleen-deficiency syndrome model in rats to screen the optimal extraction method of small compound Yueanjian on the basis of pharmacodynamic and chemical indicators.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The PMS liver-depression and spleen-deficiency syndrome model were established by the chronic restraint stress method and treatment with Yueanjian extracted by three methods: water-extraction, steam-distillation and alcohol-extraction. Behavioral performances and the contents of estradiol and progestin in serum were determined before and after the administration of the three extracts. The contents of salvianolic acid B in these three extracts were detected by HPLC. The optimal extraction method of Yueanjian was selected according to pharmacodynamic results.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The contents of estradiol and progestin in groups treated with steam distillations and alcoholic extraction were higher than the model group. In the open field test, the group treated with steam distillations showed much higher scores than the model group. HPLC showed that the content of salvianolic acid B extracted by steam-distillation was higher than the other two extracts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>On the basis of pharmacodynamic and chemical results, the steam-distillation was proved to be best extraction method of Yueanjian.</p>