Guhong injection (GHI), composed of aceglutamideand safflower aqueous extract, has been used clinicallyfor the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases such ascerebral embolism, hemorrhage and mental deterioration. In this paper, we reported the results of the first study onthe anti-inflammatory effects of GHI in murine focalcerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury. Adult male SDrats were randomly divided into six groups: Sham group,I/R group, GHI-L group (2.5 mL/kg), GHI-M group(5 mL/kg), GHI-H group (10 mL/kg) and Nimodipinegroup. I/R injury was induced by middle cerebral arteryocclusion (MCAO) for 1.5 h followed by reperfusion for24 h. Compared with I/R group, rats treated with GHIshowed dose dependent reductions in neurological defectscores and cerebral infarct volume. GHI obviously downregulatednitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase(iNOS), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-1b (IL-1b),TNF-a (tumor necrosis factor-a) and C reactive protein(CRP) levels in serum. Moreover, histological examinationby H&E staining showed that clear cell outline, less vacuolatedspaces and largely surviving neurons wereobserved in GHI-treated rats. The immunohistochemicalstaining revealed that GHI administration significantlydiminished the positive expressions of intercellular celladhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and nuclear factor-jB p65(NF-jB p65) in brain tissues. Western blot analysis forICAM, NF-jB p65 and iNOS further solidified the abovefindings. All these results demonstrate that GHI exerts astrong and ameliorative effect on cerebral I/R injury in ratspossibly through the inhibition of inflammation.