Abstract: OBJECTIVE To investigate the difference of anti-depressant effect between different processed products of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis， and to explore the mechanism. METHODS Chronic unpredictable mild stress model was established and water extract of different processed products of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis was used for administration. Behavioral tests were used to evaluate the difference of anti-depressant effect between different processed products of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis， and the molecular mechanism was further explored. RESULTS The immobility time of TST (P<0.05) and FST (P<0.05，P<0.01) was significantly reduced by CZZ and JZZ while there was no significant improvement in TST and FST in SZZ group. As expected， the expressions of IL-1β，TNF-α， p-NF-κB and GFAP were obviously higher in model group (P<0.01) than those in CZZ and JZZ. CZZ had the best anti-inflammatory effect by significantly decreasing the expressions of IL-1β， TNF-α and GFAP. CONCLUSION The anti-depressant effects of different processed products of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis are different. It is assumed that the mechanism of the anti-depressant effects and its difference is related to the regulation of the expression of IL-1β， TNF-α and GFAP in the hippocampal tissue of mice.