Objective: To observe the effect of Zhali Nusi recipe (ZLNS) on regulating blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and promoting the grafting of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from vascular to brain tissue after the transplantation. Method: SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group

model group

ZLNS

BMSCs transplantation group and ZLNS combined with BMSCs group. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was duplicated with nylon thread. BMSCs were cultured and amplified by the whole bone marrow adherence method. The rats were intragastrically administrated with ZLNS(14.6 g · kg-1 ·d-1)

BMSCs suspension solution were transplanted into brain through carotid artery (2×106/200 μL). Brain of rats was taken out at 1

3

7

14 days after transplantation. Brain water content (BWC)

brain infarct area ratio (BIAR) and Evans Blue (EB) leakage were detected by dry-weight assay

TTC and fluorescence spectrophotometry

respectively. Result: The BWC

BIAR and EB in model group increased obviously than the sham-operated group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group

the BWC at 3

7

14 days decreased obviously

the EB leakage decreased at 3

7 days in ZLNS

transplantation and combination groups (P<0.01)

the BIAR decreased in all groups (P<0.01

P<0.05). Compared with the transplantation group

the BWC at 1 day and EB at 1

7

14 days in ZLNS groups decreased (P<0.01

P<0.05)

all above indicators in combination groups decreased and the results were obvious at 1

14 days (P<0.01). Compared with the ZLNS groups

all above indicators decreased in combination group and the results were obvious at 7

14 days (P<0.01

P<0.05). All changes were remarkably serious at 7 days and obviously improved at 14 days being increased firstly and then decreased after cerebral ischemia in each groups (P<0.01). Conclusion: The injury at 7 days after cerebral ischemia reperfusion was serious than that at 1

3 days

and there was some improvement at 14 days in rats after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. The ZLNS could regulate the permeability of BBB

promote the grafting of BMSCs from vascular to brain tissue after the transplantation. It would play a better role in brain protection by the combination ZLNS and BMSCs transplantation.