RPL18 and brain ischemia: The RPL18 gene is a key mediator in stroke pathophysiology, as its dysregulation is linked to cerebral ischemia, and its restoration via traditional medicines (e.g., BYHW, NXT, YYTN) improves outcomes by modulating the gut microbiota-brain axis and suppressing neuroinflammation (microglia/astrocyte hyperactivation) (Yin et al., 2022).