Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is one of most important medicinal herbs in traditional chinese medicine. The object of this study was to determine the effects of the water extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) on the anxiolytic-like activities in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. The watεr extracts of SB (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) were orally administered to male SD rats for 3 days, and behavioral tests for the anxiolytic activity were performed. SB (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) significantly increased in time-spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM compared with the control group. Futhermore, those anxiolytic-like activities of SB were antagonized by flumazenil (a $GABA_A$ antagonist, 3 mg/kg), but not by pindolol (a $5-HT_{1A}$ antagonist, 10 mg/kg). SB did not cause myorelaxant effects in the horizontal wire test at any dosage regimen. Therefore, these findings suggest that SB promote the anxiolytic-like activity mediated by GABAergic nervous system in rats.