Cerebral Ischemia Model in Rats

Rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of thiopental (50 mg/kg) and diazepam (5 mg/kg). After anesthesia induction, each rat was placed in the supine position and fixed on the operating table. A midline incision of approximately two centimeters was made in the neck, and then both common carotid arteries and common jugular veins were exposed carefully by blunt dissection. After the vagus nerve was carefully separated from the carotid artery, cerebral ischemia was induced by bilateral clamping of the common carotid arteries. Bilateral clamping of the common carotid arteries was relieved at the end of the 20‐min period. Thirty seconds later, we applied medication (BPC 157 10 µg/kg; or saline as a 1 ml bath directly on the surgical area. Five minutes after that, the incision was sutured back in layers. The sutured area was cleaned with 70% ethanol and sprayed with an antiseptic solution.