Nitric oxide and superoxide anion radical (O2−) analysis. Significantly increased NO was found in the hippocampus (A), P⩽0.001, Student's t-test) but not cerebral cortex (B) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) group as compared with saline controls. In contrast, significantly decreased O2− was found in the hippocampus (C), P⩽0.001, Student's t-test) but not cerebral cortex (D) in SAH group as compared with saline controls. Data are mean±s.d. All animals were killed 6 days after surgery.