Table 1 Herbal components of PSR and their implications for stroke treatment

1. Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge (Huangqi)

A component of Buyang Huanwu Decoction^b (BYHWD), Sheng Yu Decoction and BNG-1 [22, 23, 27]; used with Honghua to treat stroke patients [17]; its isolates, calycosin and formononetin, were neuroprotective in cerebral ischemic rats [40, 81]

2. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen)

A component of Hua Tan Tong Luo formula and BNG-1 [27–29]; polysaccharide extract and active isolates, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinones IIA-B, could reduce damages caused by cerebral ischemia in rodents [41, 82–85]

3. Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (Chishao)

A component of BYHWD [22] and Nao-Shuan-Tong [30]; showed proliferative effects on injured rat peripheral neurons and Schwann cells [31, 32]; an isolate, paeoniflorin, was neuroprotective in cerebral ischemic rats [86]

4. Cassia obtusifolia L. (Juemingzi)

Used for hyperlipidemia treatment [44]; showed neuroprotective effects in hippocampal neurons and in cell and animal models of Parkinson’s disease in mice [33, 34]; an isolate, chrysophanol, showed neuroprotective effect in ischemic mice [87]

5. Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Chuanxiong)

A component of BYHW, Sheng Yu, and Xiaoxuming Decoctions [22–24]; butylidenephthalide, ferulic acid and ligustilide isolated from Chaunxiong were neuroprotective in rodent cells and ischemic rats [36–38, 88]

6. Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui)

A component of BYHWD and Sheng Yu Decoction [22, 23]; ferulic acid and ligustilide isolated from Danggui showed neuroprotection in rodent cells and ischemic rats [36–38]

7. Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Gancao)

A component of BNG-1, Xiaoxuming, Gualou Guizhi, and Wen Dan Decoctions [24–27]; used to treat diabetic acute ischemic stroke [89]; liquiritin, a major constituent, enhanced the neurotrophic effect of NGF [90], showed protection against Aβ-induced toxicity in rat cortical neurons and ischemic mice [35, 91]