Montelukast sodium protects against focal cerebral ischemic injury by regulating inflammatory reaction via promoting microglia polarization

•Montelukast sodium can improve brain tissue damage and neurological deficits after stroke.•Montelukast sodium can regulate the inflammatory response after stroke.•Montelukast sodium can promote the transformation of microglia into anti-inflammatory phenotype after stroke.•The early use of montelukast sodium may become a new strategy for neuroprotection after stroke.