Abstract: AIM: To investigate the protective effects of total flavonoids of sowthistle-leafixeris seedling (TFS) against acute cerebral ischemia in mice and focal cerebral ischemia in rats. METHODS: The occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries with vagus in mice was used for make the acute cerebral ischemia models.The survival time and the death rate were observed.The permanent occlusion of the proximal of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA)was used for make the focal cerebral ischemia models.The extent of neurological deficits was observed,and the infarct area was measured by NBT staining technique, investigating the influence of TFS on the contents of NOS and iNOS. RESULTS: Compared with model group,TFS of 16,8 mg/kg prolonged the survival time and decreased the death rate of mice with acute cerebral ischemia injury(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).TFS of 16, 8, 4 mg/kg ameliorated neurologic deficits score and the infarct size of rats with MCAO, reduced the contents of NOS, iNOS(P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: TFS has profective effects on cerebral ischemia injury,the mechanism may relate to the inhibiton of NOS and iNOS .

Key words: TFS, Cerebral ischemia, NOS, iNOS