Does Cerebrolysin have effect in improving the outcomes of stroke patients?

This study investigated the benefits and harms of Cerebrolysin in the treatment of stroke. Researchers suggested that Cerebrolysin has a limited effect on preventing death in stroke.

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the US have a stroke. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked due to a blood clot or a burst blood vessel. Brain cells lose their ability to control body functions causing symptoms such as muscle weakness.

New treatment methods are urgently needed to reduce stroke-related deaths. However, therapies with significant effectiveness and reduced toxicity are still lacking.

Cerebrolysin is a drug that contains a mix of proteins purified from the brains of pigs. It is thought to improve the ability of the brain to self-repair after a stroke. This reduces mental disorders after brain injury. Cerebrolysin is commonly used in some countries for the treatment of stroke. However, the effectiveness and safety of this drug are still not well known.

This study reviewed 7 other studies with information about 1601 stroke survivors. These patients received Cerebrolysin or a placebo (a drug with no effect on the body).

Cerebrolysin added to standard therapy had little to no difference in death by any cause. Cerebrolysin was associated with little to no difference in the number of people with side effects such as a disability or longer hospital stay. However, there was an increase in patients with no fatal side effects. These patients were 2.15 times more at risk of having a non-fatal side effect. This increase was even more raised in patients receiving higher doses of Cerebrolysin. These patients were at 2.86 times more at risk of a non-fatal side effect. 

This study concluded that Cerebrolysin has little to no effect on death rate and increases the number of non-fatal side effects on stroke survivors.