Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats Ischemic Stroke by Regulating mTOR Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Ischemic stroke （IS） is a serious cerebrovascular disease common in clinical practice. Targeting the pathogenesis of IS， intravenous thrombolysis for restoring blood flow is still the most effective therapy. However， intravenous thrombolysis has shortcomings such as increased bleeding risk， narrow therapeutic window， and contraindications， which limited its clinical application. Protection of the ischemic brain tissue before full recovery of blood flow is associated with the prognosis of IS. Studies have identified multiple pathways in the alleviation of the brain injury caused by IS， such as the mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has abundant therapies and unique advantages in the treatment of IS， especially in alleviating symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients. After the onset of IS， TCM can be integrated with Western medicine to play a role in the whole process of treatment， rehabilitation， and recurrence prevention as soon as possible， thus maximizing patient benefits. TCM has clinical significance for the recovery of neurological and motor functions after IS. Studies have shown that TCM can reduce the cerebral injury caused by IS by regulating and activating the mTOR signaling pathway， thereby regulating autophagy， inhibiting apoptosis of nerve cells， and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. TCM exerts a positive effect for achieving cerebral protection and improving the prognosis of IS and provides new ideas for the prevention and treatment of IS. This article introduces the role of the mTOR signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of IS and reviews the research progress in the TCM regulation of this pathway in the treatment of IS， aiming to provide new therapeutic ideas and systematic scientific reference for the treatment of IS with TCM.