It is thought that highly reactive oxygen species generated after strokes plays a key role in damaging the brain. We examined free radical scavenging activity and neuroprotective effects of several medicinal herbs in a rat model of transient ischemia. Free radical scavenging property of medicinal herbs was examined in vitro using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical. Transient ischemia was induced by intraluminal occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery for 120 min, followed by reperfusion for 22 hr in rats. Aqueous extracts of 8 medicinal herbs (200 mg/kg) were orally administered twice to transient ischemic rat prior to reperfusion and 2 hr after reperfusion. Total infarction volume in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the ischemia-reperfusion was significantly decreased in 7 groups treated with Sophora flavescens, Lycopus lucidus, Sanguisorba officinalis, Caesalpinia sappan, Albizia julibrissin, Rubia akane, Psoralea corylifolia, or Prunella vulgaris. However, neuroprotective effects of these medicinal herbs were not correlated with their antioxidative activities. These results suggest that these medicinal herbs exert neuroprotection via antioxidative as well as unknown mechanism.