Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of fasudil on inflammatory reaction in cerebral ischemia /reperfu-sion rats. METHODS: Focal cerebral ischemia /reper-fusion model in rats was made by transient occ lusion of middle cerebral arteryy for 1.5 h followed by 24 h reperfusion.Fasudil was injected intraperitoneally before operation and 12 h after operation. The neurological function was scored and the infarct volume was measured after operation. The water content of brain was measured with dry -wet weight; The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was determined by spectropho tometer;The permeability of the blood brain barrier was evaluated by measurement of the Evans Blue (EB)content in the brain with spectrophotometer; The brain content of L-8 was ev aluated with ELISA; The level of NF+κB p65 mRNA expression was detemined by RT-PCR; The expressions of ICAM-1，VCAM-1 and NF-κB p65 protein were observed by immunohistoche-mistry; The MCP-1 and the expression of NF-κB p65plotein in the nuc lear extracts were detected by westernblotting. RESULTS: Fasudil improved the neurologi-cal function, decreased the infarct size,reduced the permeability of blood brain barrier and brain water content, inhibited the MPO activity, decreased the ontent of lL-8 and the protein expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in brain tissue, inhibited the expressions of NF+κB p65 mRNA and protein and reduced the content of NF-κB p65 protein in the nuclear ex tracts signifi cantly(P< 0.05 vs Model Group). CONCLUSION: These results show that the antinflammatory effect of fasudil may be correlated w ith decreasing the expression of adhesion molecu le and chemotactic factors though in hibiting the activity of NF-κB.

Key words: fasudil, cerebral ischemia, NF-κ, B, intlammation