Abstract: AIM: To study the acute toxicity of bioactive compounds from paecilomyces tenuipes (BCPT) and the effect of BCPT on lipid peroxidation of brain in chronic stress model (CMS) of depression in rats.METHODS: The depression animal model was induced by chronic unforeseeable stress (CUS).The maximally tolerated dose (MTD) was used to detect the acute toxicity of BCPT.UV spectrophotometer analysis technique was used to detect the activity of SOD, GSH-PX and CAT,and content of MDA and NO in rat's brain.RESULTS: The MTD of BCPT was 9 g·kg^-1.BCPT could obviously enhance the activities of SOD, GSH-PX and CAT, and also significantly inhibit the increase of MDA and NO content in brain in CMS rats.CONCLUSION: BCPT has little toxicity and produces an antidespressant-like effect in antioxidation in CMS rats.

Key words: paecilomyces, chronic stress, maximum tolerable dose, lipid peroxidation