Potential advantages of a combination of Chinese Medicine and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for removing blood stasis and stimulating neogenesis during ischemic stroke treatment

Combined treatment of ischemic stroke with Chinese medicine and exogenous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation may improve the removal of blood stasis and stimulation of neogenesis. Chinese medicines that remove blood stasis not only promote blood circulation but also calm the endopathic wind, remove heat, resolve phlegm, remove toxic substances and strengthen body resistance. The medicinal targeting effect of Chinese medicine can promote the homing of BMSCs, and the synergistic therapeutic effects of drugs can contribute to BMSC differentiation. As such, exogenous BMSC transplantation has potential advantages for neogenesis. Chinese medicines and exogenous BMSCs provide complementary functions for the removal of blood stasis and stimulation of neogenesis. Therefore, a combination of Chinese medicine and transplantation of exogenous BMSCs may be particularly suited to ischemic stroke treatment.