Objective: To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture

body acupuncture and joint administration of acupuncture and medicine on cerebral ischemia induced changes of calmodulin (CaM) activity. Methods: 63 Wistar rats were randomly and evenly divided into control

sham operation

model

scalp acupuncture (SA)

body acupuncture (BA)

SA+medicine and BA+medicine groups. Cerebral ischemia reperfusion (IR) model was established by occlusion of the bilateral vertebral arteries and common carotid artery. Scalp points “Shuigou"(GV 26) and “Baihui"(GV 20)

and body acupoints “Shangyang"(LI 1) and “Zhongchong"(PC 9) were punctured and stimulated electrically (20 Hz

1 mA

continuous waves) for 20 min. In acupuncture+medication group

intra gastric perfusion of Venoruton (0.45 g/kg) was given to the rats. CaM concentration in the brain was determined with radioimmunoassay. Results: In comparison with control and sham operation groups

CaM content of model group increased considerably ( P <0.001). Compared with model group

CaM contents of SA

BA

SA+medicine and BA+medicine groups all decreased significantly ( P <0.01～0.001). In comparison with SA group

CaM contents of both SA+medicine group and BA+medicine group were significantly lower ( P <0.05)

but no significant differences were found between control group and sham operation group

among BA

SA+medicine and BA+medicine groups

and between SA and BA groups in CaM contents ( P >0.05). Conclusion: Both scalp acupuncture and body acupuncture and joint administration of acupuncture and medicine can significantly lower CaM content of the brain tissue in cerebral ischemia rats

and the effect of SA+medicine is apparently superior to that of simple acupuncture.