The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model rat was used as an animal pattern in the experiment. The experimental methods were high pressure liquid chromatography and ultraviolt-spectrophotometry. On the base of observating the dynamic change of four kinds of main free amino acids content in hippocampus

the effects of "Xing Nao Kai Qiao" acupuncture method on the transmitter of amino acids were researched deeply. The experimental result showed: the content of glutarnic acid (GLU)

aspartic acid (ASP)

glycine (GLY) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) increased after cerebral infarction. This abnormal change often appeared in early infarction (about three hours after cerebral infarction); as compared with the group of infarction

the levels of GLU

ASP

GLY after acupuncture were reduced markedly (P <0. 01 )

and the content of GABA was increased (P < 0. 01 ).The experimental result indicated that the excitatory neurotoxicity of the transmitter of amino acids may play an important pathological role in ischemic cerebral lesion

especially in early ischemia. Acupuncture could reduce excitatory neurotoxicity. This might be one of the major mechanisms of acupuncture treatment on cerebral ischemia.