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Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) refers to bleeding within the brain parenchyma due to the rupture of blood vessels, and is a highly lethal stroke subtype, accounting for nearly 10%-15% of all strokes. The morbidity and mortality of ICH are very high and its pathophysiological mechanisms are currently not fully understood. Therefore, based on current clinical evidence-based medicine, there is no definite and effective medical treatment that can improve the prognosis and survival of patients available yet. As an important tool for basic research, the development and application of the ICH animal model promoted the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms and molecular mechanisms leading to brain injury by ICH. Recently, the ICH animal model studies contributed to a number of proposed potential therapeutic strategies, such as the inhibition of thrombin and the reduction of pro-inflammatory pathways. In addition, recent research of stem cells suggested that cell transplantation therapy for the treatment of ICH may also have good prospects. In this review, we discuss the development and application of animal models for studies on ICH and the advances regarding the potential therapeutic strategies for ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7) on NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and to explore the action mechanism of acupuncture on promoting the recovery of neural function in rats with ICH., Methods: Forty SPF six-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a non-acupoint group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each group. The rats in the model group, non-acupoint group and acupuncture group were intervened with autologous blood injection to prepare ICH model, while the rats in the sham operation group were only intervened with operation but not injection with autologous blood. About 3 hours after the establishment of the model, the rats in the acupuncture group were intervened with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7), once every 12 hours, for 7 days; the rats in the non-acupoint group were intervened with acupuncture at the non-acupoint [parallel to the "Baihui" (GV 20), 1 cm next to the midline] on the affected side, and other treatment was the same as the acupuncture group. At the end of the intervention, the composite nerve function score of each group was evaluated; the histomorphology of the hemorrhage penumbra was observed by HE staining; the expression of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle in the brain was detected by immunohistochemistry; the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in brain were detected by the method of Western blot., Results: Seven days into intervention, compared with the sham operation group, each item score and total score of composite nerve function in the model group were significantly reduced ( P <0.01, P <0.05). There was edema and karyopyknosis in brain neuron as well as necrocytosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the model group. Compared with the model group and the non-acupoint group, the total score of composite nerve function and the scores of symmetrical movement of limbs (LS) and proprioception of tentacles (VP) in the acupuncture group were increased ( P <0.01, P <0.05), and the cell necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration were relieved. Compared with the sham operation group, NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle expression and the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue in the model group were increased ( P <0.01); compared with the model group and the non-acupoint group, NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle expression and the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue in the acupuncture group were reduced ( P <0.01)., Conclusion: Acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7) could downregulate the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in the brain tissue of ICH rats, inhibit the inflammatory response, and promote the recovery of neural function.