Aim To explore the neuroprotective effects and possib le mechanism of bellidifolin on focal cerebral ischemia in rats.Methods Focal ce rebral ischemia was induced by permanent occlusion of the proximal portion of ri ght middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). A neurological examination was perf ormed on each rat 4 hours,24 hours after ischemia by the method of Berderson .T he infarcted size was measured by 2,3,5-triphenrytetrazolium chloride(TTC) st aining technique at 24 hours post-ischemia.Effect of bellidifolin on intercellu lar adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and B lymphocyte myeloma (Bcl-2) immunoreact ive positive cells in peri-infarct region following ischemia and the histological neuronal changes were observed by means of immunohistochemical staining and H E staining.Result Bellidifolin significantly reduced infarc- ted size and improved the neurological deficit in rats .Bellidifolin produced effects of reduction in expression of ICAM-1 and upregulation of antia poptotic protein Bcl-2 on focal cerebral ischemia.Conclusion B ellidifolin has neuroprotective effects on focal cerebral ischemia in rats by or al administration.Mechanism of neuroprotective effects is related to downregulat ion of ICAM-1 and upregulation of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 on focal cerebr al ischemia.