Aim To investigate the expression of interleukin-2(IL-2),interleukin-8(IL-8) and their relations with cerebral water content in rats following intralcerebral hemorrhage. Methods The rats were infused with autologous fresh blood taken from rat femoral artery into the right caudate nucleus IL-2 and IL-8 in the perihematoma and were determined with radioimmnoassay method over a time course ranging from 6 hours to 10 days.The brain water content was measured by dry-wet weight method. Result Compared with those in the control group,the levels of IL-2 in the perihematoma within 1 day after intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) were significantly lower,slightly lower at 3-day point and highest at 6-day point,then gradually decreased;the levels of IL-8 in the perihematoma within 6 hours after ICH were not significantly different,highest in 1-day point and 3-day point,and gradually reduced to the normal level at 6-day point;the contents of edema in the perihematoma within 1 day slightly reduced,were highest at 3-day point,then gradually decreased and reached the normal levels at 6 days. Conclusion IL-2 may benefit to decrease the formation and development of brain edema, accelerate the extinction of brain edema and facilitate the recovery of nervous system function;there was immunoreaction conducted by IL-8 which led to damage after ICH,and IL-8 may be related to the produce and development of brain edema.