Menstrual blood transplantation for ischemic stroke: Therapeutic mechanisms and practical issues

Cerebrovascular diseases are a major cause of death and long-term disability in developed countries. Tissue plasmin activator (tPA) is the only approved therapy for ischemic stroke, strongly limited by the short therapeutic window and hemorrhagic complications, therefore excluding most patients from its benefits. The rescue of the penumbra area of the ischemic infarct is decisive for functional recovery after stroke. Inflammation is a key feature in the penumbra area and it plays a dual role, improving injury in early phases but impairing neural survival at later stages. Stem cells can be opportunely used to modulate inflammation, abrogate cell death and, therefore, preserve neural function. We here discuss the possible role of stem cells derived from menstrual blood as restorative treatment for stroke. We highlight the availability, proliferative capacity, pluripotentiality and angiogenic features of these cells and explore their present and future experimental and clinical applications.