Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1997 Sep; 17(9): 544-6.

[Effects of scalp acupuncture on focal cerebral ischemia in rats]

Lei XQ, Wang J, Wang YS.

Henan Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute, Zhengzhou.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture on focal cerebral ischemia in rats. METHODS: Focal cerebral ischemia was produced in rats by the occlusion of right middle cerebral artery. The therapeutic action of scalp acupuncture on focal cerebral ischemia was studied by investigating the change of weight, neurologic symptoms, passive conditional reflex, hemorheology, infarct size of brain and pathology of brain tissue. RESULTS: Scalp acupuncture could not only improve obviously neurologic symptoms, prolong latent period of the passive conditional reflex and lower blood viscosity, but also lessen infarct size, promote proliferation and repair of neogenetic capillary and gliocyte in the malactic and necrotic regions and reduce the edema and inflammatory reaction around the necrotic region. CONCLUSION: Scalp acupuncture have therapeutic action on acute focal cerebral ischemia.