Neuroprotection in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 18 years old or over
2. Presenting to/at Stony Brook University Hospital with acute ischemic stroke
3. Baseline (at admission to study) National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) of ≥ 5
4. Administration of study medication possible within 24 hours of last known well

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pre-existing neurological disability (historical NIHSS > 3); unable to liveindependently 3. Severe stroke or comorbidities likely to result in patient dying within 3months 4. Acute or chronic renal failure with calculated creatinine clearance < 30 5. Liverdisease leading to > 3x elevation in liver transaminases or significant loss of syntheticcapacity* 6. Thrombocytopenia (<100x10^9platelets / L blood) 7. Pre-existing infectiousdisease requiring antibiotic therapy that have a negative interaction with minocycline. (Penicillin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, bacampicillin, carbenicillin, cloxacillin,dicloxacillin, methicillin, mezlocillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, piperacillin, ticarcillin)
2. Pregnancy or nursing. Females of reproductive age will be required to use barriercontraception or abstain from sexual intercourse while on study medications, as minocyclinemay render oral contraceptives less effective.
3. Known allergy to tetracycline group of drugs 10. Concurrent treatment with retinoids orergot alkaloids 11. Inability to safely tolerate the fluid load (iv normal saline or powater) associated with study medication* 12. Treatment with another investigational drugwithin the last 30 days that may interfere with this study's medications* 13. Inability totolerate or comply with study procedures*