AIM: To study the treatment effect of
Shuxuetong injection on a rat model of
cerebral infarction. METHODS: A focal cerebral
ischemia model of rat was established by embolizing left middle cerebral artery with autologous blood clots. The created models were divided into sham operation group, model group and Shuxuetong group; the former two were injected via tail vein respectively with normal saline, the latter with
Shuxuetong injection 0.25 mL·kg~(-1), the dosages contained with same volume as for each and once daily for 5 d. The changes of infarction volume, brain water content, neurologic function scoring, occlusion and recanalization of vessels, as well as histopathological changes were observed for all of the 3 groups. RESULTS: The brain water content in model group was more significantly increased than that in sham group; Shuxuetong injection could improve neurologic dysfunction, decrease the infarction volume, reduce brain water content, accelerate thrombus dissoloving and recanalization of occluded vessels, alleviate histopathological changes remarkably. CONCLUSION: Shuxuetong injection has a significant effect on rats with acute
cerebral infarction.