The present study established a rat model of focal brain ischemia by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery covered with FeCl3, and investigated the protective effect of 3'-methoxy-puerarin. Hippocampal and cortical c-fos gene expression was determined using in situ hybridization. Results showed that 3'-methoxy-puerarin reduced neurological deficit scores, cerebral infarcted zone and water content of brain tissues, dramatically increased the activity of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the ischemia zone of the hippocampus, increased the activity of catalase in the cortex, decreased lipid peroxide and lactic acid contents in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, and down-regulated c-fos gene expression in brain ischemic rats. Results demonstrated that 3'-methoxy-puerarin exhibited cerebroprotective effects against focal brain ischemia, which involved c-fos gene expression.
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