Bloodletting puncture at twelve well-points is a characteristic emergency therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. This article reviewed the research advances in the clinical effect of this therapy in the treatment of acute central nervous injury and its mechanism of action over the past 30 years

and it is found that this therapy can effectively improve disturbance of consciousness

neurological defects

and cerebral edema caused by stroke

traumatic brain injury

and carbon monoxide poisoning. The mechanism involves the improvement of cerebral blood flow and tissue oxygen supply

repair of the blood-brain barrier

and regulation of local ion balance. Well-designed clinical trials and in-depth research on biological mechanisms should be performed in future to promote and guide its clinical application.