“Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine alleviate cerebral infarctions (strokes). Using MRIs, Guangyuan City Third People’s Hospital researchers conclude that acupuncture plus Bu Yang Huang Wu Tang improves brain functional connectivity in cerebral infarction patients. Results were especially pronounced in the central-cerebellar and central-contralateral anterior gyrus regions. In addition, the acupuncture and herbal medicine combination reduced risk factors by lowering total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, CD62P and CD63 expression significantly reduced. These proteins are platelet activation markers indicative of cerebral infarction intensity levels.
It was determined that acupuncture plus Chinese herbal therapy produced a 91.7% total effective rate for the treatment of cerebral infarctions. A group receiving standard drug therapy achieved a 72.2% total effective rate. The acupuncture plus herbs group outperformed the drug group by 19.5%. The laboratory data demonstrates that acupuncture produces significant decreases in blood lipid levels when combined with Bu Yang Huang Wu-Tang. Additionally, resting-state fMRI demonstrated that acupuncture improves the functional connectivity of brain networks. [1]
Acupuncture and Medications
For the drug group, patients received 20–50 ml of deproteinized calf blood serum injections (once per day) and 10 mg doses of orally administered atorvastatin (once per day), for 30 consecutive days. The acupuncture group received body acupuncture at the following acupoints:
• GV20 (Baihui)
• EX-HN1 (Sishencong)
• LI11 (Quchi)
• LI4 (Hegu)
• GB31 (Fengshi)
•ST36 (Zusanli)
• GB34 (Yanglingquan)
• SP6 (Sanyinjiao)
• BL60 (Kunlun)”
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