NPPA and brain infarction: In a rat model of middle cerebral arterial occlusion, Zhao [45] found that ANP, both with and without the coadministration of cinnabar and realgar, could dramatically reduce the cerebral infarction area and brain water content, increase the levels of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and lower the levels of lipid peroxide (LPO) and lactic acid (LD).