Table 1.

List of nanomaterials/strategies for ischemic stroke therapy.

Nanomaterials	Strategies	Major findings
Liposome	Encapsulation of superoxide dismutase	Animal models using liposome agents showed augmented levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and decreased infarct volume [50]
	Changing Surface Charge	The absorption rate in ischemic area is higher [51]
	PEGylation	The circulation time of liposomes can be prolonged and can accumulate in ischemic brain area [52]
	Bind specific ligands to the surface of liposomes	Liposomes could effectively reach the brain injury area, and significantly decrease infarct volume and neurological deficit following middle cerebral artery occlusion [53]
Polymeric nanoparticles	Loaded with Z-DEVD-FMK	Showed significant decrease in nerve injury, caspase-3 activity and reduced infarct volume [54]
	Cationic polymer micelles	High efficiency, safe and reliable for tracing stem cells in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging [55]
Metal nanoparticles	BBB permeation mediated by external magnetic field	Under the external magnetic field, metal nanoparticles showed accumulation a perivascular zone of the brain parenchyma and on-demand drug release [56]
	MRI-monitored magnetic targeting	Magnetic targeting induced a 5-fold increase in the total glioma exposure to magnetic nanoparticles over non-targeted tumors [57]
	Free radical scavenging by autocatalytic	Cerium oxide nanoparticles show a significant neuroprotective effect on adult rat spinal cord neurons [57]
	Free radical scavenging	Cerium and yttrium oxide nanoparticles may be used as effective agents in prevention and possibly treatment of diabetic neuropathy [58]
Carbon nanotubes	chemical bonding of amine groups on the surface	Aminemodified single-walled carbon nanotubes protected the brains of treated rats from ischaemic injury [59]
Graphene	Adsorption of ruthenium carbonyl clusters	Commodified GO can be used for CO-mediated vasodilatory treatment [60]
	Modification with poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-grafted gadolinium	The modified GO be used as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging to identify the location and extent of blood-brain barrier opening and quantitate drug [61]
	Modification with PEG	The PEGylation of rGO did not improve interaction with components of the BBB. In contrast, the attachment of PEG to rGO induced deleterious effects [62]
	matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging	rGO systemically-injected was found mainly located in the thalamus and hippocampus of rats [63]
Black phosphorus	BBB permeability increased by NIR irradiation	BP nanosheets can selectively capture Cu2+ and enhance the BBB permeability [64]
Hydrogels	Local injection of hydrogel	Effectively cross the blood-brain barrier, thereby promoting the infiltration of parenchyma cells around the scaffold and promoting local regeneration.
	Gelatin microspheres(GMS) loaded with osteopondin	Duration of osteopondin release was significantly extended [65]
Dendrimers	PEGylated poly(amido amine) (PAMAM)	Reduced blood clotting.
	Dexamethasone-conjugated polyamidoamine generation 2 (PAMAM G2-Dexa)	Efficiently delivered heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene into the ischemic brain [66]