Stroke is a serious neurological disorder and constitutes a major cause of death and disability throughout the world. The pathophysiology of stroke is complex, and involves inflammatory pathways, oxidative damage, ionic imbalances, angiogenesis, apoptosis and neuroprotection. The ischemic cascade is initiated by acute stroke causes neuronal death along with an irreversible loss of neuronal function. The therapeutic strategies in stroke have been developed with two main aims: restoration of cerebral flow and the minimization of the deleterious effects of ischemia on neurons. Till now FDA–approved drug is available for ischemic stroke; i.e., the serine protease tissue–type plasminogen activator (t–TPA), but their therapeutic range is short. The objective of this review is, to study about the major mechanisms of stroke, pathophysiology, with emphasis on current strategies of newer therapeutic agents.