189CEREBROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF MELOCHIA CORDATA AGAINST BILATERAL ARTERY OCCLUSION INDUCED STROKE IN RATSMelochia cordata (Family: Malvaceae) is a popular scandent shrub that grows in tropical and sub tropical forests in India. To evaluate the cerebroprotective effect of ethanol extract of leaves of Melochia cordata (EEMC) against the global model of ischemia in rats. In the present study, the animals were pre-treated with ELA for a period of 1week (250 and 500 mg/kg) p.o. The animals were anaesthetized with thiopentone sodium (45mg/kg) and stroke was induced by Bilateral Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCAO) for defined period with aneurism clamps placed on both arteries and later (10 minutes) clamps were removed to allow reperfusion and animals were then returned to their cages. After 24 hours of reperfusion, the animal behaviors were evaluated by various methods such as behaviour pattern, Juvenile recognition, Motor activity, rotar rod test, Morris water maze test in stroke induced animals. The treatment was continued for another week after surgery with EEMC. The present studies suggest that, there was a decrease in the escape latency in water maze in stroke induced (negative control) group. The group treated with 250mg/kg and 500 mg/kg EEMC showed significant (P<0.01) improvement in the behaviour pattern, and spatial learning, which was confirmed in trial sessions in water maze test when compared with the negative control group. In conclusion, ethanol extract of leaves of Melochia cordata produced cerebroprotective effects in global cerebral ischemia as evident from reduction in behavioral score, hyper locomotion and neuronal damage.renukareddybelagani@gmail.comResearch822018Leaves of Melochia cordata,Bilateral Carotid Artery Occlusion,Cerebral ischemiaBelagani Renuka,A. Saravana Kumar,M.Rupesh Kumar,Palaka Maneesha,Nethakara NaveenaProfessor & Head Sri Venkateswara College of Pharmacy, RVS Nagar, Chittoor – 517127, Andhra Pradesh, India,Professor & Head Sri Venkateswara College of Pharmacy, RVS Nagar, Chittoor – 517127, Andhra Pradesh, India,Department of Pharmacology, Sri Venkateswara College of Pharmacy, RVS Nagar, Chittoor – 517127, Andhra Pradesh, India.,Department of Pharmacology, Sri Venkateswara College of Pharmacy, RVS Nagar, Chittoor – 517127, Andhra Pradesh, India.,Department of Pharmacology, Sri Venkateswara College of Pharmacy, RVS Nagar, Chittoor – 517127, Andhra Pradesh, India.