Objective: To study the effect of Xingnaojing and Shengmai injection on the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in rat brain tissue after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Method: The ICH model was induced by injecting self-blood. Forty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into ICH group (n=10)

saline group (NS

n=10)

Xingnaojing and Shengmai injection group (XNJSM

n=10)

hirudin group (HIR

n=10). Six hours after model establishment

rats in XNJSM were received Xingnaojing of 2 mL·kg-1 and Shengmai of 10 mL·kg-1through intraperitoneal injection

once daily

the therapeutic course was 3 days; Hirudin (10 U in 5 μL) was injected into the hematoma in HIR. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to examine perihematomal neurocyte morphological changes

and the expression of AQP4 in perihematomal tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western bloting respectively after 72 h. Result: AQP4 positive cells and protein expression in perihematomal tissue was increased at 72 h after ICH

with significant difference to those in NS (P<0.05)

Compared with ICH

in XNJSM group and HIR group

perihematomal tissue morphological changes were improved obviously

and AQP4 expression was also decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: XNJSM injection could play a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting the expression of AQP4 and alleviating cerebral edema after ICH.