Metabolic disruption resulted from cerebral ischemia and post-ischemia reperfusion injury was studied using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). We also analyzed the effect of 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (MCI-186) which can scavenge free radicals induced in the brain tissue due to ischemic-reperfusion in this experiment. The ischemic model was produced using rat forebrain ischemic model (Pulsinelli's 4 vessels occlusion model). Post-ischemic reperfusion was also induced by the re-opening of the occluded common carotid arteries. The occluded time was 30 min and reperfusion time 0, 10, 30, 60 min. We obtained the specimens in the cortex under microwave fixation. Choline and acetate increased during ischemia and gradually decreased during reperfusion period. These two signals seen in 1H MRS are supposed to represent cell membrane components (products) and the increase of these signals after reperfusion seems to be related to the post ischemic reperfusion injury due to the explosive increase of free radicals. Lactate, which is induced by anaerobic glycolysis, increased during ischemia and promptly disappeared after reperfusion. The treatment of pre-ischemic administration of MCI-186 significantly suppressed increases of choline and acetate. As far as lactate is concerned, post-ischemic administration of this drug significantly reduced its increase at the point of reperfusion. Our results suggest that MCI-186 alternates changes induced by ischemic-reperfusion injury in membranous metabolism, probably due to its free radical scavenging action.