Objective To study the possible mechanism of Xiaoyao Powder（ 逍遥散） on stress. Methods A total of 72 male SD rats were randomly divided into control group

model group and Xiaoyao Powder group

with 24 rats in each group. Except for the control group

the rats models were established by continuous immobilization stress for 21 days with 3 h/day. On the 1 st day of model establishehment

Xiaoyao Powder decoction suspension（ 3. 85 g/kg·d） was gavaged to the Xiaoyao Powder group

while the other 2 groups were gavaged with normal saline（ 1 ml/100 g）. The body weight

food intake and behaviors of 3 groups were recorded on the 0

7 th

21 st day of the experiment. The content of serum D-xylose

orexin A（ OXA） and leptin in lateral hypothalamus area were detected on the22 nd day of the experinment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ ELISA） was conducted to determine the expression of the leptin recipient Ob-R

OXA and orexin receptor 1（ OX1 R） in lateral hypothalamus area. Quantitative real-time PCR（ qRT-PCR） was used to detect ob-R mRNA

prepro-orexin mRNA and OX1 R mRNA. Results Compared with the control group

the body weight

food intake and the total mobile distance and total cross numbers in open field test（ OFT） of the model group rats were obvious decreased; Serum D-xcylose content was decreased; expression of OXA

OX1 R

prepro-orexin and OX1 R mRNA in lateral hypothalamus area decreased; and express of obR

leptin

and ob-R mRNA increased（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. All the indexes were improved in Xiaoyao Powder group compare with the model group（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Conclusion Xiaoyao Powder can regulate the Leptin-ob-R-OXA/OX1 R signal pathway to improve appetite disorder induced by chronic stress.