The neuroprotective effects of felbamate were tested in a model of incomplete cerebral ischemia and hypoxia in 7-day-old rat pups. Felbamate pretreatment (300 mg/kg) reduced the surface of infarcted cortex following bilateral carotid ligation, by 42-49% compared to saline and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) controls, respectively. The number of necrotic neurons in the dentate gyrus was reduced by 77% over both DMSO controls and saline controls. These results suggest that felbamate deserves further evaluation for its therapeutic potential in hypoxia-ischemia.