SHH and brain infarction: We demonstrated that (a) NBP treatment could attenuate brain infarct volume and neurological deficits in MCAO rats; (b) NBP treatment could increase the expression of the angiogenic growth factors VEGF and Ang‐1, consequently promoting angiogenesis in the peri‐infarct area; and (c) the pro‐angiogenic effect of NBP was associated with the increased expression of Shh in astrocytes.