The effect of cerebrolysin and recovery after stroke

This paper studied whether stroke patients who receive cerebrolysin have improved motor function in their arms after 90 days. 

A stroke occurs when there is not enough blood supply to the brain. Treatment is usually insufficient and is only successful during the first few hours. After a stroke, there could be complications such as motor or movement problems.

Cerebrolysin is a drug that has been shown to be able to protect neurons from injury, be effective against toxic damage to cells, and promote neuronal growth and repair. Initial studies have suggested that it can improve functional recovery following stroke. 

This study included 104 patients who received cerebrolysin and 104 patients who received a placebo (substance with no therapeutic effect). Treatments were given once daily for 21 days. Treatment began within 72 hours following a stroke.

Motor function was significantly improved in patients treated with cerebrolysin compared to patients treated with placebo. 92.3% of patients taking cerebrolysin and 84.2% of patients taking placebo had an improvement in motor function.

42.3% of the patients taking cerebrolysin had no symptoms or no significant disability. 14.9% of patients receiving placebo had no symptoms or no significant disability.

69.2% of patients receiving cerebrolysin and 71.2% of patients receiving placebo had at least 1 adverse event (undesired effect of treatment). Most of the adverse events were mild. The most common adverse events included urinary tract infection, depression, insomnia, liver inflammation, high blood pressure, and upper abdominal pain. 2.9% of patients taking cerebrolysin and 6.7% of patients taking placebo had serious adverse events. However, these did not seem to be related to the effect of the drug. 

The authors concluded that cerebrolysin is beneficial and safe. 

There was a small number of patients studied; thus larger scale studies are needed.