Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Pharmacologic Preconditioning as a Means to Reduce Stroke-induced Inflammation and Damage

Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term serious disability. Current therapeutic strategy is limited to thrombolytic agents, consequently, boosting endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms of the brain to protect itself against harmful stimuli and restore from damages are widely studied. Preconditioned brain to tolerate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury could be initiated by several different pharmacological and mechanical strategies, such as ischemic preconditioning, ethanol pharmacological preconditioning and other pre- and post-conditions, such as remote ischemic preconditioning and exercise preconditioning. In this article, we will discuss the major mechanism of ischemia/reperfusion injury and provide an overview of preconditioning in all its various forms, describe the underlying mechanisms and review the recent clinical application of this emerging neuroprotective strategy.

Keywords: Stroke; exercise; hydrogen sulfide; ischemia/reperfusion injury; moderate ethanol; pharmacologic preconditioning; resveratrol.