Are herbal medicines effective in the treatment of ischemic stroke? : a systematic review of human-controlled clinical trials

Cerebrovascular diseases are common, and stroke constitutes the third cause of death as well as the first cause of disability all over the world. Many studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of herbal preparations on stroke. This research was designed to categorize the results of these studies. The materials presented in the databases of Cochrane, ISI, PubMed and Scopus until January 30, 2019, were searched to examine human studies written in English. Only randomized controlled trials (CRTs) were included. Four randomized controlled trials were selected to be examined in this systematic review. Six medicinal herbs were assessed in every article. Not only inclusion and exclusion criteria but also outcome measures differed between the articles. The results of these studies indicated that these medicinal plants might contribute to the management of stroke. No severe reactions had been described during the administration of herbal medicines in these six studies. Further investigations are required to examine the efficacy of herbal medicines on ischemic stroke.