Single herb and its active ingredients have a high selectivity and specific characteristics in the prevention and treatment of vascular dementia (VD),so more and more attention have been paid to the studies on single herb and its active ingredients. These studies mainly focus on the following kinds of herbs, such as: herbs with tonic effects Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Polygoni Multiflori Radix, Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma Seu Caulis, Astragali Radix, Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma, herbs wtih blood circulation-activating and stasis-dissolving effect Ginkgo Folium, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Erigerontis Herba, herbs with Heat-clearing effect Astragali Radix, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Radix, Gardeniae Fruetus, and other types Lycopodium serratum Thunb., Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Caryophylli Flos. Their efficacy mechanisms are mostly involved in: ①increasing the active material(for example ATP enzyme) to restrain from oxidative stress (OS). ②promoting the activity of the cerebral cholinergic system, such as protein, gene and so on.③inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system, calcium influx and the metabolism of free radicals to prevent neurons from cerebral damage. It was concluded that most studies on the treatment of VD were related to herbs with tonic effects or with blood circulation-activating and stasis-dissolving effects, and these herbs and their active ingredients showed wider effect-profiles on VD through regulating diverse pathological or physiological pathways of VD. These findings may provide useful information for future research and development of new drugs and clinical application in the treatment for VD.