The effects of centrally administered atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on the brain water and electrolyte contents were investigated in a rodent subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) model. SAH caused statistically significant increases in the brain sodium and water contents, while the potassium content did not change significantly, indicating that the brain oedema could be classified as having a primarily vasogenic component. Two micrograms or 5 micrograms of rat ANP administered into the lateral ventricle at the time of SAH induction statistically significantly decreased the water and sodium accumulation measured 90 minutes following SAH. The same treatment did not inhibit development of brain oedema measured 3 hours following SAH. However, when 5 micrograms of ANP was administered intraventricularly at the time of SAH induction and also 90 minutes later, the brain oedema 3 hours following SAH was again reduced statistically significantly. These effects of ANP were found not to be mediated by primary changes in serum osmolality and electrolyte concentrations. The present results confirm that centrally administered ANP may act directly on the central nervous system to inhibit brain water and sodium accumulation in SAH-induced brain oedema. The potentials of influencing the central neuro-endocrine system as a novel way of the treatment of brain oedema are discussed.