Therapeutic role of phytoconstituents in treatment of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Abstract

Stroke is important cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. Prevention and effective treatment of stroke is of utmost importance. Stroke involves reduce blood supply in brain to fulfill metabolic demand. Limit in number of medicines and their conventional target approach of action in treating stroke, led us to the search for novel therapeutic approaches. Higher extent of research in field of drug discovery focus on the possible ability of natural compounds extracted from medicinal plants, to prevent ischemia. Natural compounds are promising in treating stroke involving cell process like oxidative phosphorylation, membrane functioning, neurotransmitter release, and free radical generation. Herbal compounds show preventive effect in following sequence - calcium antagonism, anti-excitotoxicity, anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation on experimental induced ischemic brain injury. In this review, we discussed cascade pathway of stroke, role medicinal compounds and novel medical pathway and hypothesis protecting brain ischemia or delay the neurological disorders following a stroke.