Magnolol exhibits anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in a rat model of intracerebral haemorrhage.

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) induces inflammation, which can cause severe secondary injury. Recent evidence has suggested that magnolol (MG) has a protective effect against ischaemic stroke through the inhibition of inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of MG in intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) remains unclear. Here, we report that the protective effect of MG in a rat model of ICH can be achieved by anti-inflammatory processes. We found that MG administration significantly reduced the brain water content, restored the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and subsequently attenuated neurological deficits via decreasing the activation of glial cells, decreasing the infiltration of neutrophils and reducing the production of pro-inflammation factors (IL-1β, TNF-α and MMP-9) in a rat model of ICH. These results suggest that MG reduced inflammatory injury and improved neurological outcomes in ICH model.