Reducing Oxidative Stress to Improve Prognosis in Ischemic Stroke: Possible Application of Dietary Flavonoids

After cerebral ischemia, the brain encounters noxious stimuli that result in a dysfunctional balance between the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species, which in turn cause damage to cellular components. Oxidative stress may activate the inflammatory response, promoting apoptosis, autophagy, etc. Flavonoids are present in a wide range of foods and have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer properties. Dietary flavonoid intake have beneficial effects against ischemic stroke. Dietary flavonoids can significantly reduce the risk of ischemic stroke and improve its prognosis by directly scavenging free radicals, regulating redox balance, and modulating signaling pathways and gene expression to counteract the cellular damage of brain caused by oxidative stress after ischemic stroke. Therefore, this review summarizes the effect of dietary flavonoids against oxidative stress on ischemic stroke.