BACKGROUND: Studies have confirmed that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) promotes neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. OBJECTIVE: To compare and verify the effects of bFGF on superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content in rat brain tissues surrounding a hemorrhagic lesion, as well as the hippocampus at the hemorrhagic side. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized, controlled, neurobiological study was performed at the Science Experimental Center and Research Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University, China, from September to December 2006. MATERIALS: Ninety-two adult, healthy, Wistar rats of equal gender were used to establish intraeerebral hemorrhage by infusing type VII collagenase into the left internal capsule. Type Ⅶ collagenase (Sigma, USA), superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde kits (Jiancheng, China), and bFGF (Institute of Bioengineering, Ji'nan University, China) were used for this study. METHODS: Ninety successfully lesioned rats were equally and randomly divided into three groups. Rats in the bFGF group were intramuscularly injected daily with bFGF (8μg/kg). Rats in the saline control group received an equal volume of saline. The rats in the model group did not receive other interventions. Superoxide dismutase activity was measured using the xanthine oxidase method. Malondialdehyde contents were detected using the thiobarbituric acid method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At 1, 3, and 7 days following intracerebral hemorrhage, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were determined in the brain tissue surrounding the hematoma and in the hippocampus in the affected hemisphere. RESULTS: In brain tissue surrounding the hematoma, superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased in the bFGF group at 3 and 7 days after intracerebral hemorrhage compared with the saline control group, whereas malondialdehyde content was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). In the hippocampus, superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased in the bFGF group at 7 days following intracerebral hemorrhage compared with the saline control group, whereas malondialdehyde content was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). At 1, 3, and 7 days after intracerebral hemorrhage, there was no significant difference between the saline control group and the model group with regards to parameter or brain region (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increased superoxide dismutase activity and decreased malondialdehyde content were detected in tissue surrounding the hematoma, as well as the ipsilateral hippocampus, of intracerebral hemorrhage rats treated with bFGF. Changes in these parameters were detected earlier in tissue adjacent to the lesion, compared with the ipsilateral hippocampus.