Provided are: a method for producing an anxiolytic drug and an anxiolytic food product composition which guide behavior in situations that cause anxiety so as to be identical or similar to the behavior of normal situations, and which differ from conventional anti-anxiety drugs which are sedatives or induce a motionless state related to sleep； an anxiolytic drug and an anxiolytic food product composition； a use for the hot water extract of the root of Eleutherococcus senticosus in the production of the anxiolytic drug； and a method for reducing anxiety. This anxiolytic drug or anxiolytic food product composition which exhibits the significant effect of reducing behavior-inhibiting anxiety, or in other words, guiding behavior in situations that cause anxiety so as to be identical or similar to the behavior of normal situations, is formulated from a dried powder obtained by pulverizing the root of Eleutherococcus senticosus and forming strips therefrom, obtaining a hot water extract from the strips, vacuum concentrating the liquid extract, and obtaining a dried powder of the extract by spray drying the obtained concentrated liquid extract using a spray dryer.本發明之課題為提供不同於誘導與鎮靜、睡眠相關之不動狀態之以往的抗焦慮藥，即便在引起焦慮之狀況下亦可引導與通常的狀況同等或與其近似的行動之抗焦慮劑及抗焦慮用食品組成物之製法。 本發明之解決手段係將刺五加的根進行粉碎並製成細片狀，對該細片狀物施行熱水萃取，將萃取液進行減壓濃縮，使所獲得之濃縮萃取液藉由噴霧乾燥機進行噴霧乾燥而獲得萃取物之乾燥粉末，摻合此乾燥粉末，而獲得發揮即便在引起焦慮之狀況下亦引導與通常的狀況同等或與其近似的行動，即，減低抑制行動之焦慮之顯著效果之抗焦慮劑或抗焦慮用食品組成物。
