Cerebral ischemia is one of the major global health problems, but the treatment for it is currently very limited. A
tissue plasminogen activator, the only
drug effective in the treatment of
cerebral ischemia, has a narrow time window and strict
contraindications, resulting in only a small percentage of patients benefiting from it.
Apigenin (APG) is a natural
phytoestrogen flavonoid, widely found in vegetables and fruits including parsley, Chinese celery and chamomile. APG has shown good
neuroprotective effects in animal models of many neurological diseases. For the first time, we report a review of the
neuroprotective effects of APG in
cerebral ischemia. We came to the conclusion that APG can exert various protective effects against
cerebral ischemia, including anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, anti-autophagic, anti-apoptotic and other
neuroprotective effects. Moreover, APG has shown a highly promising ability to prevent
cerebral ischemia in terms of regulating
blood glucose, blood pressure,
lipids and gut microbes. The aspect that is of particular importance is the potential of APG to prevent
cerebral ischemia in postmenopausal women, who are more likely to suffer from
cerebral ischemia and have a much higher mortality rate than men of the same age. This review has provided evidence on the therapeutic and preventive effects of APG in
cerebral ischemia, suggesting the potential values of APG as a candidate medication in future.