The autonomic nerve is composed by the sympathetic nerve and the parasympathetic nerve, and it control the function of our organs, such as heart, digestive organ, blood vessel and so on, which we cannot control by ourselves. (Fig.1)
The function of the autonomic nerve (balance between the sympathetic nerve and the parasympathetic nerve) is disordered under prolonged overstress, and that may lead to disorder of a body and mind.(Fig.2)

Cohabitation of different individuals under a new environment is a big stress for rats. In the control rats, the sympathetic nerve activity was facilitated and the parasympathetic nerve activity was reduced under the stressed environment. In contrast to the control group, facilitation of LFnu* that is an index of sympathetic nerve activity was significantly suppressed and reduction of HFnu* that is an index of the parasympathetic nerve activity was also significantly suppressed in the Acanthopanax senticosus group from just after cohabitation to 3 hours after cohabitation (Fig.3, 4).
Induction of anxiety and tension by 3-hour cohabitation with unfamiliar rat in a new environment was also seen from the changes in the functions of the autonomic nerve. Although activity of the sympathetic nerve out of the autonomic nerve was facilitated in rats that felt anxiety and tension, Acanthopanax senticosus inhibited the facilitation and further inhibited reduction in the parasympathetic nerve activity.
Based on the above results, Acanthopanax senticosus was suggested to be a useful food that may increase adaptability to the stress associated with anxiety and tension in a new environment or interpersonal relations by regulating the autonomic nervous balance.