AIMTo build a simple and repeatable animal model of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

METHODSSAH was produced by passing a nylon thread up through the right internal carotid artery and piercing a hole in the right anterior cerebral artery. At 12 h and 24 h after SAH operation, the rats were evaluated with rotarod test and the behavior scale (5-point scale).

RESULTSThe rats were trained through rotarod test and then randomly divided into three groups, including vehicle group treated with vehicle after SAH, nimodipine treated group (i.p. 0.25 mg x kg(-1), 5 min, 6 h, 12 h after SAH) and sham group. At the point of the perforation there was usually a capping clot. There was always blood in the basal cisterns with some spread over the hemisphere. After 12 h and 24 h of SAH operation, the time of rotarod test of rats decreased significantly and the rats had serious neurological deficit. Nimodipine could alleviate the neurological deficit after 24 h of SAH.

CONCLUSIONTo present a simple and reliable model of SAH in the rats, which allows evaluating novel compounds and new drugs for treatment of SAH.