The gerbil model was used to assess the therapeutic effects of the calcium antagonist nimodipine on cerebral ischemia. Transient cerebral ischemia was produced in each gerbil by bilateral common carotid occlusion of 10-, 15- or 20-min duration. Nimodipine (0.01 or 0.1 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally just before the carotid occlusion or 10-30 min after the removal of the arterial clips. Morbidity of each animal was evaluated using the stroke index, and the sum of stroke indices was calculated for evaluating the overall morbidity during a particular period of reperfusion. Mortality was observed for 24 hours after clip removal. Although, depending on the timing of the drug administration, the low-dose (0.01 mg/kg) nimodipine worsened the morbidity in the gerbils with 10-min ischemia, the high-dose (0.1 mg/kg) of the drug had a clear beneficial effect on the mortality associated with cerebral ischemia. These results are considered worthwhile for further trials to assess the usefulness of nimodipine as a therapeutic agent in the management of the acute ischemic stroke.