Objective    To observe the effect of ecdysterone (EDS) on the level of VEGF protein in the brain

angiogenesis and neurologic function after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.     Methods    Rat with focal cerebral ischemia were established by occluding their middle cerebral artery. The established rats (n=36) were randomly and equally divided into EDS treatment group and ischemia group. EDS (20 mg·kg

-1

·d

-1

for 7 d) was intraperitoneally injected into the r

ats of EDS treatment group 2 h after operation

and the animal of ischemia group received an intraperitoneal injection of the same solvent as in EDS group. Another 6 rats served as normal control. Rats were sacrificed in 7

14 and 21 d after operation

and the VEGF protein level and microvessel density (MVD) was detected with immunohistochemical methods and analyzed quantitatively with image system. Effect of EDS on neurologic recovery following brain ischemia were assessed using the neurologic severity scores (NSS).     Results    VEGF expression was not seen in normal control

and was higher in ischemia group than in the EDS treatment group at day 7 and 14

but the significant difference was only observed at day 7 (P0.01). VEGF expression was disappeared at day 21 in ischemia group. EDS treatment group had significantly higher MVD than in the ischemia group at all time points. NSS results indicated middle cerebral artery occlusion led significant neurologic impairment and subsequently certain degrees of autogenous recovery were observed. Recovery of these indices was significantly better in the EDS treatment group than in ischemia group at day 7 (P0.05) and 14 (P0.01).     Conclusion    EDS can definitely induce VEGF expression and angiogenesis in areas around ischemic brain regions in rats with focal cerebral ischemia

and promote neurologic recovery following the injury.