Secondary insult from cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a major risk factor for poor prognosis of cerebral ischemia. Saponins are steroid or triterpenoid glycosides with various pharmacological activities that are effective in treating CIRI. By browsing the literature from 2001 to 2021, 55 references involving 24 kinds of saponins were included. Saponins were shown to relieve CIRI by inhibiting oxidation stress, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis, restoring BBB integrity, and promoting neurogenesis and angiogenesis. This review summarizes and classifies several common saponins and their mechanisms in relieving CIRI. Information provided in this review will benefit researchers to design, research and develop new medicines to treat CIRI-related conditions with saponins.

脑缺血再灌注损伤（CIRI）继发性损伤是脑缺血预后不良的主要危险因素。皂苷是类固醇或三萜糖苷，具有多种药理活性，可有效治疗 CIRI。通过浏览2001年至2021年的文献，共收录55篇参考文献，涉及24种皂苷。皂苷通过抑制氧化应激、神经炎症和细胞凋亡、恢复 BBB 完整性以及促进神经发生和血管生成来缓解 CIRI。本综述总结和分类了几种常见的皂苷及其缓解CIRI的机制。本综述中提供的信息将有利于研究人员设计、研究和开发用皂苷治疗 CIRI 相关疾病的新药。