Objective: To explore the protective effects of genistein(Gen) on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury and mechanism about inflammatory reaction and cytokine secretion. Method: A rat I/R injury was made through embolization of the middle cerebral artery

and rats were treated with Gen (0.75

1.5 μmol·kg-1)via sublingual vein injection. The volumes of infarction and water content in the cerebral tissue

the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum and brain tissue

and the imerleukin(IL)-6

IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum were measured. Result: Compare with the sham operation group

the rats in I/R group showed an obvious white infarction area

an increased water content(P<0.05)

and decrease LDH activity(P<0.05) in brain tissue. Meanwhile

it showed advances LDH activity(P<0.01) and IL-6(P<0.001). IL-1β(P<0.01) and TNF-α(P<0.05) levels in serum. After treated with Gen

the rats with cerebral I/R injury showed decreases in the volumes of infarction

water content (P<0.05)

LDH activity (P<0.05)

and IL-6(P<0.001)

IL-1β (P<0.05) and TNF-α (P<0.01) levels in serum

and an increased in LDH activity in brain tissue (P<0.05)). Conclusion: Genistein has a therapeutic effect on rat with cerebral I/R injury because its down-regulating inflammatory cytokines levels such as IL-1β

TNF-α

IL-6

suppresses inflammatory reaction

and then controls cerebral edema.