Scaffolds are used in tissue engineering to provide a temporary structural template for cell colonization and matrix formation. Here, an emerging polyurethane (PU) porous scaffold incorporated with renewable gastrodin was developed, and its mechanical properties and cell behavior were evaluated. The results showed that the scaffold had an interconnected porous structure, the chemical modification of PU by 8.99 wt% gastrodin synergistically enhanced initial modulus by 222% and porosity by 63%; the stem cells seeded on such scaffold exhibited higher cytocompatibility, the proper pore size was favorable for cell attachment and proliferation compared to the scaffold without gastrodin. This study for the first time demonstrates that gastrodin can chemically-polymerized onto the polyurethane matrix, improving mechanical properties and cell activity. The findings in this study highlight that this scaffold holds great promise in regenerative medicine. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.