Neuroprotection in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Exclusion Criteria

• •1\. Pre-existing neurological disability (historical NIHSS \> 3); unable to live independently 3. Severe stroke or comorbidities likely to result in patient dying within 3 months 4. Acute or chronic renal failure with calculated creatinine clearance \< 30 5. Liver disease leading to \> 3x elevation in liver transaminases or significant loss of synthetic capacity\* 6. Thrombocytopenia (\<100x10\^9platelets / L blood) 7. Pre-existing infectious disease requiring antibiotic therapy that have a negative interaction with minocycline. (Penicillin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, bacampicillin, carbenicillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, methicillin, mezlocillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, piperacillin, ticarcillin) 8. Pregnancy or nursing. Females of reproductive age will be required to use barrier contraception or abstain from sexual intercourse while on study medications, as minocycline may render oral contraceptives less effective.
• •9\. Known allergy to tetracycline group of drugs 10. Concurrent treatment with retinoids or ergot alkaloids 11. Inability to safely tolerate the fluid load (iv normal saline or po water) associated with study medication\* 12. Treatment with another investigational drug within the last 30 days that may interfere with this study's medications\* 13. Inability to tolerate or comply with study procedures\*