In order to investigate pharmacological properties of ι -muscone, effects of ι-muscone and musk on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system were compared. Cerebral ischemia insult was performed using unilateral carotid artery occlusion in Mongolian gerbils. The histological observations showed a preventive effect of the ι-muscone treatment with ischemia-induced brain damage. The ATP in brain tissue was decreased in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils. This decrease was prevented by the ι-muscone treatment. In contrast to what was seen with ATP, the lactate and lipid peroxide were both elevated in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils.˙ This elevation was prevented by the ι-muscone treatment. While ι-muscone had no effects on the hexobarbital-induced sleeping time and the convulsions induced by electric shock, pentetrazol and strychnine, it had effect on rotarod test and spontaneous activity test. Respiration rate and depth were increased by the ι-muscone treatment. Furthermore, ι-muscone showed anti-stress effect. Our findings suggest that the pharmacological profile of ι-muscone on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system are similar to that of musk.