The possibility that Cerebrolysin, a mixture of several neurotrophic factors, has some neuroprotective effects on whole body hyperthermia (WBH) induced breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB), brain edema formation and neuropathology were examined in a rat model. Rats subjected to a 4 h heat stress at 38 degrees C in a biological oxygen demand (BOD) incubator exhibited profound increases in BBB and BCSFB permeability to Evans blue and radioiodine tracers compared to controls. Hippocampus, caudate nucleus, thalamus and hypothalamus exhibited pronounced increase in water content and brain pathology following 4 h heat stress. Pretreatment with Cerebrolysin (1, 2 or 5 mL/kg i.v.) 24 h before WBH significantly attenuated breakdown of the BBB or BCSFB and brain edema formation. This effect was dose dependent. Interestingly, the cell and tissue injury following WBH in cerebrolysin-treated groups were also considerably reduced. These novel observations suggest that cerebrolysin can attenuate WBH induced BBB and BCSFB damage resulting in neuroprotection.