Abstract: Objective To study the effect of cluster needling of scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation on neurological function and expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and angiostatin (AS) in rats after focal cerebral ischemia. Methods 90 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, acupuncture treatment group, rehabilitation treatment group and acupuncture and rehabilitation treatment group, each group was further divided into 3 days, 7 days and 14 days subgroups (n=6). Permanent cerebral ischemia rat model was established according to Longa's method. The model group and the sham operation group accepted no treatment, the acupuncture treatment group was treated by cluster needling of scalp acupuncture, the rehabilitation treatment group received the treadmill training, the acupuncture and rehabilitation treatment group was treated by acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy. 3 days, 7 days, 14 days after operation, the neural function was evaluated with the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS), the expression levels of bFGF and AS proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results Compared with the model group, the acupuncture treatment group and the rehabilitation treatment group, mNSS decreased, the expression of bFGF protein increased, and the expression of AS protein decreased in the acupuncture and rehabilitation treatment group 3 days, 7 days, 14 days after operation (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy can reduce the neurological function defect in rats with focal cerebral ischemia, which may be related to the upregulation of bFGF protein expression and down-regulation of AS protein expression.

Key words: cerebral ischemia, neurological function, acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy, basic fibroblast growth factor, angiostatin, rats