Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of the ligustrazine injection on rats models of experimental high intraocular pressure induced by retina ischemia-reperfusion.Methods Thirty two SD rats were divided into four groups randomly:the ligustrazine group,the model group,the normal group and the vitamine E group.The ischemia-reperfusion model is established by increasing intraocular pressure to 110mmHg in rat eyes.The ligustrazine group was treated with the ligustrazine injection,the vitamine E group with gastric gavage of vitamine E,and the model and normal groups with distilled water.The period of treatment was 7 days.The histopathologic changes were observed under the optical microscope and the electron microscope,meanwhile the SOD and MDA were measured.Results After ischemia for 60 min and reperfusion for 48 h,the cells in retinal ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer were thinned under optical microscope,perinuclear karyopyknosis and apoptotic bodies appeared in retinal ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer under electron microscope,SOD activity decreased and MDA level increased.After treatment,the morphology of retinal ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer was improved obviously,SOD activity increased and MDA level decreased.It is suggested that ligustrazine injection exerts anti-ischemic and anti-hypoxic and cytomembrane stabilizing effects to a certain extent.Conclusion The ligustrazine injection is an effective traditional Chinese medicine in treating retinal ischemia.