Objective:To observe changes of cerebral nerve cell apoptosis of the rat after acute stroke and the preventive and treating effect of Jiannao Decoction on the apoptosis.Methods:SHRsp rats were used to establish the model of acute stroke

which were treated with Jiannao Decoction.Symptoms and signs of the nervous system and changes of pathological structures of the hipocampus were investigated before and after establishment of the model

and changes of cerebral nerve cell apoptosis before and after establishment of the model and medication were investigated with TUNEL

immunohistochamical and Western blot methods. Results:The incidence rate of stroke in the prevention group was significantly lower than that of the model group（P<0.01）

TUNEL showed that the brown granules in the model group reached the high peak at 48h

and after treatment of Jiannao Decoction

the brown granules decreased significantly（P<0.05）;Results of Western blot indicated that expressions of bcl-2

bax

caspase3 increased at different time after stroke as compared with those in the normal group

and after prevention and treatment of Jiannao Decoction

expression of bcl-2 increased（P<0.05 or P<0.01）

expression of caspase3 decreased（P<0.05 or P<0.01）

and expression of hax in the prevention group decreased（P<0.05 or P<0.01）but with no significant difference as compared with that of the treatment group（P>0.05）.Conclusion:Jiannao Decoction has significant protective action on brain in the rat with stroke

which is related with inhibiting the effect of nerve cell apoptosis and conduction of apoptosis-related signals.