Objective:To imestigate the effect of Shenxiong injection on neuronal aooptosis and Fasassociated death dormin protein(FADD)and its mRNA expression after ischernia-reperfusion in rats.Methods:Atotal of 100 SD rats wgre randomly allocated into normal(n=10),sham-operation(n=10),cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(n=40),and Shenxiong injection(n=40)groups.A model of middle cerebral wtery occlusion was induced by suture method.The neuronal apoptosis was detected by the TUNEL assay.The expressions of FADD protein and mRNA were detected by inmmnohistochemical staining and reverse tramcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),respectively.Results:As compared with the normal and sham-operation groups.the numbers of apoptotic cell in the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion group were increased significantly(P＜0.01),and the expressions of FADD protein and mRNA were enhanced significantly(all P＜0.01).As compared with the ceretral ischemia-reperfusion group,the numbers of apoptotic cell were decreased significantly (P＜0.05,P＜0.001),and the expressiom of FADD protein and mRNA were reduced significantly in the Shenxiong group(P＜0.05,P＜o.001).Convlusions:Shertxiong injection may inhibit the neuronal apoptosis after ischemia-reprfusion in r-cas by down-regulaftng the expression of FADD.