When
ischemia or
hemorrhagic stroke occurs, astrocytes are activated by a variety of endogenous regulatory factors to become reactive astrocytes. Subsequently, reactive astrocytes proliferate, differentiate, and migrate around the lesion to form
glial scar with the participation of microglia, neuron-glial
antigen 2(NG2) glial cells, and extracellular matrix. The role of
glial scars at different stages of
stroke injury is different. At the middle and late stages of the injury, the secreted
chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and
chondroitin sulfate are the main blockers of axon regeneration and nerve function recovery. Targeted regulation of
glial scars is an important pathway for
neurological rehabilitation after
stroke. Chinese medicine has been verified to be effective in
stroke rehabilitation in clinical practice, possibly because it has the functions of promoting blood resupply, anti-
inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, inhibiting cell proliferation and differentiation, and benign intervention in
glial scars. This study reviewed the pathological process and signaling mechanisms of glial
scarring after
stroke, as well as the intervention of
traditional Chinese medicine upon
glial scar, aiming to provide theoretical reference and research evidence for developing Chinese medicine against
stroke in view of targeting glial
scarring.