Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of naloxone on expression of Ref-1 and neuronal apoptosis in rat brain tissue around the caudate nucleus (damaged areas) after experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).METHODS: ICH was induced in rats using stereotactic infusion autologous blood 50 μl into the caudate nucleus.The male animals were randomly divided into normal control group, sham operation group, hemorrhage group and naloxone treatment group.The hemorrhage group and naloxone treatment group were divided into three different time point groups.TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis,and immunohistochemitry method to detect expression of Ref-1 in cerebral tissues at different times.RESULTS: The quantity of the expression of Ref-1 within 72 h after ICH was significantly ascended (P<0.05) and the quantity of TUNEL-positive cells within 72 h after ICH was significantly reduced (P<0.01) by treatment with naloxone.CONCLUSION: Naloxone can increase the expression of Ref-1 and the ability of modifying DNA damaged by oxidize, and decrease apoptosis after ICH.

Key words: intracerebral hemorrhage, redox factor-