en Nervous system (others) Others Experimental research article Experimental research article <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Introduction: </strong>Despite all the research, no definitive treatment for stroke has been found yet. Cinnamon is a plant that has been shown to have health benefits effects. In this study, the effect of pretreatment of cinnamon on ischemia tolerance and the expression of Zonula occludens 1(ZO-1) gene in the brains of rats receiving a high-fat diet was investigated.<br /> <strong>Methods:</strong> In this study, 72 rats were divided into six groups: control, sham, model (stroke), vehicle, lovastatin, and cinnamon. All groups except the control group received a high-fat diet for 8 weeks. Then the last three groups received Carboxymethyl cellulose, lovastatin, and cinnamon 130 mg accordingly for 6 weeks. Stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Twelve hours later, the animals were examined for the extent of serum lipids, brain edema, anti-oxidant capacity and gene expression of ZO-1.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> Cinnamon was effective in reducing serum cholesterol and triglyceride. Cinnamon treatment significantly diminished brain edema. It also restored anti-oxidant capacity. ZO-1 gene expression was increased in the ischemic brains after cinnamon treatment (<em>P</em>< 0.05).<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Pretreatment with Cin130 had beneficial effects on the serum lipid profile, edema volume in ischemic brain and anti-oxidant capacity. It increased ZO-1 gene expression and so maintained cellular integrity and prevented the subsequent edema.</div> Stroke, Cinnamon, MCAO, Brain edema, ZO-1. 42 52 http://ppj.phypha.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-839-4&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Hossein Mostafavi 3200319475328460032216 3200319475328460032216 No Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Massoud Hatami 3200319475328460032217 3200319475328460032217 No Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Mohsen Alipour 3200319475328460032218 3200319475328460032218 No Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Seyyed Saeid Mousavi 3200319475328460032219 3200319475328460032219 No Animal Science Research Department, Zanjan Agricultural and Natural Recourses Research and Education Centrer, AREEO, Zanjan, Iran * Hadi Feizi hfeizik@zums.ac.ir 3200319475328460032220 3200319475328460032220 Yes Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran