RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the protective effect of ligusticum chuanxiong phthalides on cerebral ischemia in rats and its related mechanism of action.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, thrombosis formation, platelet aggregation and hemorrheological parameters were measured to evaluate the protective effect of ligusticum chuanxiong phthalides.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Ligusticum chuanxiong phthalides could markedly decrease the infarct size and behavior deficits score, inhibit the thrombus formation and platelet aggregation, ameliorate hemorrheological parameters with a dose-dependent manner in rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ligusticum chuanxiong phthalides has protective effects on focal cerebral ischemia in rats, and its mechanism may be relevant to its inhibition of platelet-dependent thrombosis and amelioration of hemorrheological parameters.</p>