Abstract: Objective To evaluate the scientificality and applicability of the restraint stress （RS） model in the study of “Jiang huo” （reducing internal heat） efficacy of herbal tea. Methods Forty male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into control group, RS model group and herbal tea （HT） groups in three doses [0.8, 2.4, 7.2g/（kg BW）, in form of dry paste powder], 8 mice in each group for the acute and chronic RS model experiments. The test substances were administrated for 5 consecutive days in the acute RS model; one hour after the last administration, all mice except control group were physically restrained for 2 hours. The test substances were administrated daily; one hour after administration, all mice except control group were physically restrained for 2 hours for 10 consecutive days in the chronic RS model. After treatment for different times, the general behavior of mice was observed, the body weight and liver weight were recorded, the ratio of liver to body was calculated, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）, aspartate aminotransferase （AST）, and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were detected, and the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）, nitric oxide （NO）, superoxide dismutase （SOD） and total antioxidant capacity （T-AOC） in liver were determined. Results Compared with the control group, contents of serum ALT, AST and BUN were increased in both acute and chronic RS models （P<0.05 or P<0.01）, the levels of MDA and NO in liver were increased and the SOD and T-AOC levels in liver were decreased significantly （P<0.01 for all） in chronic RS model. Compared with the chronic RS model group, the contents of ALT, AST and BUN decreased （P<0.01 for all）; the levels of MDA and NO in liver was decreased, while the levels of SOD and T-AOC in liver were increased in the high dose HT group （P<0.05 or P<0.01）. Conclusion Simulated “Shang huo” （suffering from excessive internal heat）, both acute and chronic RS models were established, and they were scientific and feasible to evaluate the “Jiang huo” efficacy of herbal tea.

Key words: Acute restraint stress model, Chronic restraint stress model, Herbal tea, "Shang huo", "Jiang huo"