The effect of pentobarbital on cerebral protection and brain monoamine levels during cerebral ischemia were studied in 60 Mongolian gerbils. The animals were randomly divided into three groups. Pentobarbital(n = 20)and control(n = 20) groups which underwent left common carotid artery (CCA) ligation received 60 mg/kg of Pentobarbitalum natricum and equal volume of normal saline respectively at 30 min prior to operation. Sham-operated group (n=20)was treated as same as the control group with exception of not ligating CCA. The heurological deficits were evaluated and brain monoariiines measured at the third nour after operation.It was found that the stroke index was reduced, neurological deficits improved and brain norepinephrine(NE), dopamine(DA)and 5-hydroxytrytamine(5-HT) elevated to normal levels in pentobarbital-treated animals. There were significant negative correlations between stroke indexes and the levels of NE, DA and 5 -HT in ischemic brain (r = -0.485, -0.497 and 0.579 respectively, P