Stroke is the second foremost cause of mortality worldwide and a major cause of long-term disability. Due to changes in lifestyle and an aging population, the incidence of
stroke continues to increase and
stroke mortality predicted to exceed 12 % by the year 2030. However, the development of pharmacological treatments for
stroke has failed to progress much in over 20 years since the introduction of the
thrombolytic drug, recombinant
tissue plasminogen activator. These alarming circumstances caused many research groups to search for alternative treatments in the form of
neuroprotectants. Here, we consider the potential use of
phytochemicals in the treatment of
stroke. Their historical use in
traditional medicine and their excellent safety profile make
phytochemicals attractive for the development of
therapeutics in human diseases. Emerging findings suggest that some
phytochemicals have the ability to target multiple pathophysiological processes involved in
stroke including oxidative stress,
inflammation and apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of plant sources rich in
phytochemicals may reduce
stroke risk, and so reinforce the possibility of developing preventative or
neuroprotectant therapies for
stroke. In this review, we describe results of preclinical studies that demonstrate beneficial effects of
phytochemicals in experimental models relevant to
stroke pathogenesis, and we consider their possible mechanisms of action.