Research Progress on the Pyroptosis Mechanism and Related Active Ingredients of Natural Drugs in Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurotraumatic condition for which effective therapeutic options remain limited, and advances in clinical pharmacological research have been slow. The diverse pathophysiological alterations that occur after SCI initiate cellular pyroptosis, which in turn exacerbates tissue damage, impedes neuronal functional recovery, and connects multiple pathological processes involved in SCI. In recent years, research on natural bioactive compounds has made substantial progress in the field of neurotrauma, including SCI, leading to the identification of several compounds capable of effectively modulating pyroptosis and promoting functional recovery. Therefore, a comprehensive synthesis of the mechanisms underlying pyroptosis during SCI pathophysiology, along with an overview of natural bioactive constituents with the potential to modulate SCI-related pyroptosis, may provide useful insights for future pharmacological studies, mechanistic investigations, and clinical management of SCI.