Representative histological and caspase-3- and PARP-immunoreactive neurons in the brain sections taken from sham-operated, tMCAO rats at 10 days postinjury. In tMCAO control rats, significant increases atrophic % of ipsilateral cerebral cortex, the numbers of degenerative neurons, caspase-3- and PARP-immunoreactive cells were observed as compared with sham control rats. In this experiment, Joojakwhan 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg markedly and dosage-dependently inhibited the tMCAO related cerebral atrophy and the increases of degenerative, caspase-3- and PARP-immunoreactive cells in the peri-infarct cerebral cortex as compared with tMCAO control rats, respectively. (A) Sham control, (B) tMCAO control, (C) Joojakwhan 125 mg/kg treated rats, (D) Joojakwhan 250 mg/kg treated rats, (E) Joojakwhan 500 mg/kg treated rats.