Objective To investigate the effect of Tongli Shuji acupuncture on the behavioristics

the percentage of cerebral infarct volume

and the expression of Jagged2 and Notch2 proteins in the hippocampus of the ischemic hemisphere in rats with permanent ischemia of the right middle cerebral artery

as well as the mechanism of Tongli Shuji acupuncture in improving ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group

model control group

medication group

routine acupuncture group

and Tongli Shuji group

with 10 rats in each group. The suture method was used to establish a model of permanent ischemia of the right middle cerebral artery. The rats in the medication group were given Citicoline(0.4 mg/kg) by gavage

those in the routine acupuncture group were given acupuncture at"Baihui"(GV20) and"Dazhui"(GV14) 15 minutes per day

and those in the Tongli Shuji group were given acupuncture at "Zhengying "(GB17)

"Tianjing"(SJ10)

and"Huantiao"(GB30) at the left side. The neurological deficit score was determined on days 1

7

14

21 and 28 after surgery

the percentage of cerebral infarct volume was measured after treatment

and Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of Jagged2 and Notch2 in the right hippocampal tissue. Results Compared with the sham-operation group

the model control group had significant increases in the neurological deficit score on day 1 after surgery(P<0.001). Compared with the model control

medication and routine acupuncture groups

the Tongli Shuji group had significant reductions in the neurological deficit score on day 21 after surgery(P<0.01). Compared with the sham-operation group

the model control group had a significant increase in the percentage of cerebral infarct volume(P<0.05).The Tongli Shuji group had a significant reduction in the percentage of cerebral infarct volume compared with the medication groups(P<0.05). Compared with the model control group

the routine acupuncture group had a significant increase in the expression of hippocapmal Jagged2(P<0.01).Compared with the model control

medication and routine acupuncture groups

the Tongli Shuji group had significant increases in the expression of hippocampal Jagged2 and Notch2(P<0.01). Conclusion Acupuncture can improve the behavioral manifestations of neurological deficit in rats with permanent ischemia of the right middle cerebral artery. Tongli Shuji acupuncture can significantly up-regulate the protein expression of Jagged2 and Notch2 in the hippocampal tissue of the ischemic region

possibly by activating the Notch signaling pathway to exert a neuroprotective effect.