Aim To identify whether the petroleum e-ther fraction of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis ( GJ-PE ) could effetive exhibit a rapid antidepressant effect and also to investigate the biological mechanism. Methods Tail suspension test ( TST ) , forced swimming test ( FST ) and novelty suppressed-feeding ( NSF ) were used to screen the rapid antidepressant potential of ef-fective fractions of GJ-PE in KM mice at 24 h post a single administration. Tail suspension test ( TST) was also used at 30 min and forced swimming test ( FST ) was used at 2 h to test the initial onset time of effective fractions of GJ-PE in KM mice. Western blot was per-formed to examine the expression of BDNF and p-eEF2 in hippocampus of KM mice at 2 h and 24 h. Results An acute administration of GJ-PE1 decreased the im-mobility time of KM mice in FST at 2 h and 24 h and decreased the latency time in NSF at 24 h. GJ-PE3 de-creased the latency time in NSF at 24 h. GJ-PE4 in-creased the unit food consumption in NSF at 24 h. At 2 h post a single GJ-PE1 treatment, the expression of BDNF was significantly up-regulated while the expres-sion of p-eEF2 was significantly down-regulated. At 24 h post a single GJ-PE1 treatment, the expression of BDNF was significantly down-regulated while p-eEF2 expression was significantly up-regulated. Conclusion GJ-PE1 has the most significant rapid antidepressant potential among the four fractions of GJ-PE. The effec-tive time of GJ-PE1 is 2 h after drug treatment. The mechanism of the rapid antidepressant effect of GJ-PE1 at 2 h is related to the up-regulation of BDNF and down-regulation of p-eEF2 . GJ-PE3 and GJ-PE4 also have some features of rapid antidepressants. GJ-PE2 doesn′t have the rapid antidepressant potential.