Tongnao Decoction Facilitates Angiogenesis via the VEGFA/ PI3K/AKT/JUNB Signaling Axis to Promote Stroke Recovery.

INTRODUCTION: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of global disability and mortality, with treatments limited by narrow time windows. Tongnao Decoction (TND), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has shown neuroprotective potential. This study investigates TND's mechanism in promoting post-stroke recovery. METHODS: Chemical analysis of TND using UHPLC-QTOF-MS identified 20 bioactive compounds. A photothrombosis-induced mouse stroke model was established and confirmed by TTC staining and MRI. RESULTS: Behavioral tests showed TND significantly improved motor function, an effect reduced by the VEGFR2 inhibitor SKLB1002. DISCUSSION: In human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs), TND (1375 μg/mL) enhanced viability by 53.3%, proliferation by 1.5-fold, migration by 73%, and tube formation by 1.3-fold. Western blot analysis revealed that TND upregulates p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, and JUNB, which was reversed by SKLB1002. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, TND facilitates functional recovery after AIS by promoting angiogenesis via the VEGFA/PI3K/AKT/JUNB pathway, supporting its therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke.