The present study aimed to explore the mechanism underlying the protective effects of hydro-gen sulifde against neuronal damage caused by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. We established the middle cerebral artery occlusion model in rats via the suture method. Ten minutes after middle cerebral artery occlusion, the animals were intraperitoneally injected with hydrogen sulifde donor compound sodium hydrosulifde. Immunolfuorescence revealed that the immu-noreactivity of P2X7 in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 region in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury decreased with hydrogen sulfide treatment. Furthermore, treat-ment of these rats with hydrogen sulifde signiifcantly lowered mortality, the Longa neurological deifcit scores, and infarct volume. These results indicate that hydrogen sulifde may be protec-tive in rats with local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by down-regulating the expression of P2X7 receptors.