Fig. 3. After 90 min of oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), sevoflurane counteracted the OGD-induced increase in extracellular glutamate. Extracellular levels of glutamate in the culture supernatants were evaluated at the end of the OGD, before reoxygenation, by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis along with fluorometric detection. At the end of the 90-min OGD period, extracellular glutamate levels were significantly increased compared with those measured in sham wash (SW) cells. Sevoflurane, 3.4 mm, added to SW cells did not modify the extracellular glutamate levels. However, when added at the start of the injury, sevoflurane (0.15–3.4 mm) counteracted the OGD-induced increase in glutamate concentration. n = 20; *  P < 0.05  versus OGD cells.