Objective:To explore the effect of liguistrazine on the expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1α(HIF-1α)in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD). Methods:Models of 7-day-old neonatal rats with HIBD were established by occluding the left common carotid artery and subjected to inhalation of 8% oxygen. The mice of treated group were injected with liguistrazine intraperitoneally(50 mg/kg) before and after the operation. The expression of HIF-1α in cortex was measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. Results:Although the levels of HIF-1α mRNA and protein expression at 2 h after HIBD were higher than those of sham group,there was no significance(P > 0.05) .While the expression of HIF-1α mRNA and protein were remarkably higher in liguistrazine treated group than those of HIBD group(P < 0.05). Conclusion:Liguistrazine can increase the expression of HIF-ɑ mRNA and protein in neonatal rats with HIBD,which may be the molecular mechanism of its neuroprotective effect.