Objective To explore whether resveratrol (Res) could effectively suppress infarct size or improve neurological deficits in rat models after acute ischemia or ischemia/reperfusion.Methods One hundred and thirty-five rats were divided randomly into nine groups (n=15):sham-operated group,ischemia groups,including 0.04％ propylene glycol solution treatment group (10-6 g/kg,B1 group),low dose of Res intervention group (10-8 g/kg,C1 group),middle dose of Res intervention group (10-7 g/kg,C2 group) and high dose of Res intervention group (10-6 g/kg,C3 group),and ischemia/reperfusion groups,including 0.04％ propylene glycol solution intervention group (10-6 g/kg,B2 group),low dose of Res intervention group (10-8 g/kg,D1 group),middle dose of Res intervention group (10-7 g/kg,D2 group) and high dose of Res intervention group (10-6 g/kg,D3 group).Rats in the sham-operated group only performed separation of right common carotid artery and internal carotid artery;ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion; reperfusion was performed 2 h after ischemia; Res intervention was given for 3 days 2 h after reperfusion.Neurological scale scores of all groups were evaluated,infarct volume was measured by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining,content of water in brain tissue was measured by wet and dry weight method,and the expressions of glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) and glutamate transport-1 (GLT-1) were observed by immunohistochemical method.Results As compared with B groups,the neurological scale scores in the C2,C3,D2 and D3 group were significantly ameliorated with D3 group having the lowest scores (1.30±0.48),infarct volume and brain water content were statistically reduced with D3 group having the smallest infart volume (16.00％ ±6.20％) and lowest water content (52.30％±8.25％),and the expressions of GLAST and GLT-1 were significantly increased with D3 group having the highest levels (39.98±0.77 and 171.76±7.22,P＜0.05).Conclusions Res shows protective effect on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury on rats.The mechanism of neuroprotective effect of Res on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury may be through increasing the expressions of GLAST and GLT-1 in the brain tissue and inhibiting the expression of glutamate,therefore,reducing infarction size and brain edema.