Advances in stem cell transplantation and Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of spinal cord injury

ABSTRACT

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results from various causes and is characterized by a high mortality rate and challenging rehabilitation. It often leads to loss of motor and sensory functions, causing significant emotional and financial burdens for patients and their families. Currently, effective drugs for SCI are lacking due to the complexity of the repair mechanisms involved. Key factors that impede axonal regeneration after adult central nervous system injury include neuroinflammatory responses, microcirculatory disturbances, activation of inflammatory signaling pathways, and apoptosis following SCI. These processes cause excessive activation of glial cells, leading to glial scar formation. There is an urgent need to develop safe, effective, and affordable treatments to restore spinal cord function, improve survival rates, and enhance the daily living abilities of SCI patients. Recent mouse studies have demonstrated that herbal monomers, combination therapies, and stem cell transplantation play significant roles in SCI treatment. This paper reviews current knowledge on cell transplantation and drug therapies for SCI, aiming to offer new theoretical insights and ideas for clinical research in this field.