Ischemic stroke (IS) is a severe neurological disease
caused by
the narrowing or occlusion of cerebral blood vessels and is known
for high morbidity, disability, and mortality rates. Clinically available
treatments of stroke include the surgical removal of the thrombus
and thrombolysis with tissue fibrinogen activator. Pharmaceuticals
targeting IS are uncommon, and the development of new therapies is
hindered by the low bioavailability and stability of many drugs. Nanomedicine
provides new opportunities for the development of novel neuroprotective
and thrombolytic strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of IS.
Numerous nanotherapeutics with different physicochemical properties
are currently being developed to facilitate drug delivery by accumulation
and controlled release and to improve their restorative properties.
In this review, we discuss recent developments in IS therapy, including
assisted drug delivery and targeting, neuroprotection through regulation
of the neuron environment, and sources of endogenous biomimetic specific
targeting. In addition, we discuss the role and neurotoxic effects
of inorganic metal nanoparticles in IS therapy. This study provides
a theoretical basis for the utilization of nano-IS therapies that
may contribute to the development of new strategies for a range of
embolic diseases.