Nanomedicines for the treatment of ischemic stroke: An overview of recent advances

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a significant public health problem worldwide with limited treatment efficacy due to its complex physiological and pathological characteristics. In recent years, the rapid development of nanobiotechnology has provided new insights into alternative strategies to combat IS, which can overcome the limitations of traditional treatments. This article reviews the latest developments in nanobiotechnology for IS treatment, focusing on the delivery of bioactive ingredients such as chemical drugs, nucleic acids, proteins/peptides, and nanozymes through a variety of nanodelivery systems and on strategies for blood-brain barrier penetration-enabled multi-targeted therapy, providing a reference for future research in this area. • The latest developments in nanomedicine for the treatment of IS are reviewed. • Bioactives include chemical drugs, nucleic acids, proteins/peptides, and nanozymes. • Bioactives can be integrated within different nanosystems to tackle IS. • The challenges associated with nanomedicines designed for IS treatment are discussed.