Traditional Chinese medicine in treating ischemic stroke by modulating mitochondria: A comprehensive overview of experimental studies

Lu Liu; Daohong Chen; Ziyang Zhou; Jing Yuan; Ying Chen; Mingsheng Sun; Mengdi Zhou; Yi Liu; Shiqi Sun; Jiao Chen; Ling Zhao

doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1138128

Traditional Chinese medicine in treating ischemic stroke by modulating mitochondria: A comprehensive overview of experimental studies

Front Pharmacol. 2023 Mar 22:14:1138128. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1138128. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lu Liu¹, Daohong Chen¹, Ziyang Zhou¹, Jing Yuan¹, Ying Chen¹, Mingsheng Sun¹, Mengdi Zhou¹, Yi Liu¹, Shiqi Sun¹, Jiao Chen^{1

2}, Ling Zhao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

Ischemic stroke has been a prominent focus of scientific investigation owing to its high prevalence, complex pathogenesis, and difficulties in treatment. Mitochondria play an important role in cellular energy homeostasis and are involved in neuronal death following ischemic stroke. Hence, maintaining mitochondrial function is critical for neuronal survival and neurological improvement in ischemic stroke, and mitochondria are key therapeutic targets in cerebral stroke research. With the benefits of high efficacy, low cost, and high safety, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has great advantages in preventing and treating ischemic stroke. Accumulating studies have explored the effect of TCM in preventing and treating ischemic stroke from the perspective of regulating mitochondrial structure and function. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondria are involved in ischemic stroke. Furthermore, we summarized the current advances in TCM in preventing and treating ischemic stroke by modulating mitochondria. We aimed to provide a new perspective and enlightenment for TCM in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke by modulating mitochondria.

Keywords: ischemic stroke; mitochondria; molecular mechanism; review; traditional Chinese medicine.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 82274664), Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province (2023NSFSC1822), Sichuan Provincial central guiding local science and technology development special project (Grant No. 2021ZYD0103), and Innovation Team and Talents Cultivation Program of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Grant No. ZYYCXTD-D-202003).