Targeting Neurogenesis: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Post-Stroke Treatment with Chinese Herbal Medicine

Abstract

Recent progress suggests that neural stem/progenitor cells can potentially develop into new functional neurons in adult brain, offering hope for regeneration therapies for stroke treatment. Targeting adult neurogenesis becomes a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for brain repair and recovery of neurological functions. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history with accumulated experiences and case reports using herbal formulas to treat stroke disability. The combination of Chinese herbal medicine and stem cell biology approaches provides great potential for post-stroke rehabilitations. In the last decade, large efforts have been made to investigate the molecular targets for the regulation of adult neurogenesis and to explore the active compounds and molecular targets of herbal medicine for regeneration therapy. Herein, we reviewed the current progress concerning the molecular targets and cellular signaling pathways involved in adult neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia. We then briefly introduced Chinese medical theory and herbs for stroke treatment in TCM. Finally, we reviewed the current knowledge about the effects of Chinese herbal formulas, active fractions and active compounds on promoting adult neurogenesis as well as their molecular targets. Although the precise mechanisms and molecular targets of herbal medicine for neurogenesis are still unclear, current progress at least provides a cue for exploring the therapeutic principles of Chinese herbal medicine and developing new drugs for brain repair after stroke.