Traditional Chinese Medicine regulate mitochondrial dysfunction in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Ischemic stroke is a major global cause of high mortality. Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) involves pathophysiological events post-blood flow restoration, promoting pathological signaling, disrupting brain metabolism, and worsening damage. Surgical interventions carry risks. Chinese herbal medicines, derived from natural sources, multi-component, multi-target and comprehensive regulation. In clinical, precise treatment is administered based on drug dosage and individual variations, demonstrating promising application prospects in the therapy of CIRI.

This article reviews mechanisms by which TCM components, extracts, herbs, TCM formulas, and patent medicines act on mitochondrial dysfunction induced by CIRI. These mechanisms include mitochondrial oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, metal ion dysregulation, and mitochondrial quality control, providing new insights for CIRI treatment.

An extensive literature search was conducted across databases like PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang, using keywords related to CIRI, mitochondrial dysfunction, natural products, molecular mechanisms, And TCM Plant names were verified using the Medicinal Plant Names Services. (MPNS,http://mpns.kew.org).

TCM formulas and monomeric compounds can effectively control the occurrence and progression of CIRI by regulating mitochondrial dysfunction, such as mitochondrial oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, metal ion imbalance, and mitochondrial quality control.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key factor in CIRI. TCM play an active role in its prevention and treatment, offering new hope. However, further research is needed to assess TCM's potential side effects and closely monitor dosage control and individual variations in clinical use. Elucidate the complex network regulation and target sites of mitochondria/organelles within cells.