Table 1. Characteristics of the 34 included studies.
| Study (years) | Species (Sex, n = experimental /control group ) | Weight | Model (method) | Anesthetic | Treatment group (Method to acupuncture) | Control group | Neurogenesis | Outcome Index (time) | Intergroup Differences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huang 2009 (11) | Wistar rats (male, 15/15) | 200 ± 20 g | MCAO/ 2 h | 6% chloralhydrate (35 mg/100 g) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 20 Hz and current density of 1–2 mA (baihui, dazhui) | Non-EA | Proliferation, migration, differentiation | 1. NFS (ZL, 7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu+ cells; 3. PSA-NCAM+ cells; 4. Brdu/NeuN+ cells. | 1. P < 0.01; 2. P < 0.05 (7, 14d), P > 0.05 (28d); 3. P < 0.05 (7, 14d), P > 0.05 (28d); 4. P < 0.05 (7, 14d), P > 0.05 (28d). |
| Yan 2008 (12) | SD rats (male, 12/12) | 200–250 g | MCAO/30 min | 10% chloralhydrate (0.3 ml/100 g) | EA 5 min after reperfusion per day (shuigou, neiguan, quchi, zusanli) | Non-EA | Differentiation | 1. CyclinD1 level (2d, 7d); 2. GFAP level | 1. P < 0.05, P > 0.05; 2. P < 0.05, P < 0.01 |
| Ren 2007 (13) | SD rats (male, 9/9) | 200 ± 20 g | PermanentMCAO (Tamura) | 10% chloralhydrate (3.5 ml/1 Kg) | EA 20 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 15 Hz and current density of 1–3 mA (baihui, renzhong) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. NFS (Bederson, 7d); 2. Nestin+ cells; 3. PNCA+ cells; 4. Vimentin+ cells; 5. Tuj-1+ cells; | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.01; 5. P < 0.01. |
| Gao 2010 (14) | SD rats (male, 30/30) | 450–600 g | MCAO/3 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (0.3 ml/100 g) | EA 10 min after reperfusion at once, 1 h, 2 h and then per day (jianyu, biguan, zusanli, waiguan) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. NFS (1, 3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. BWC; 3. Brdu+ cells; 4. Brdu/NeuN+ cells; 5.Brdu/GFAP+ cells; | 1. P < 0.01 (3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. P < 0.01 (1, 3, 7d); 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.01; 5. P < 0.05 (3, 7, 14d); |
| Luo 2007 (15) | Wistar rats (male, 18/18) | 250 ± 10 g | MCAO/2 h | 10% chloralhydrate (35 mg/100 g) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 30/100 Hz and current density of 6–15 V (Du: renzhong, baihui) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (ZL, 7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu+ cells; 3. Brdu/Nestin+ cells | 1. P < 0.01; 2. P < 0.01 (14, 28d), P > 0.05 (7d); 3. P < 0.01 (14, 28d), P > 0.05 (7d); |
| (Rendu: chengjiang, shenyu, guanyuan, renzhong, baihui) | 2. Brdu+ cells; 3. Brdu/Nestin+ cells | 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01 | |||||||
| Yang 2010 (16) | Wistar rats (male, 18/18) | NR | MCAO | NR | EA 10 min after surgery per day (guanyuan, qihai, chengjiang) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. EGFPP/Nestin+ cells (7, 14, 28d) | 1. P < 0.01 |
| Rui 2011 (17) | Wistar rats (male, 20/20) | 250 ± 30 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (0.3 ml/100 g) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 10 HZ and current density of 3–5 mA (baihui, fengfu) | Non-EA | Differentiation | 1. Brdu/NSE+ cells (3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. Brdu/GFAP+ cells | 1. P < 0.01; 2. P < 0.01. |
| Li 2012 (18) | SD rats (20/20) | 210–250 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 4% chloralhydrate | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 5–10 HZ and current density of 2 mA (quchi, zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (NSS, 3, 5, 7, 14d); 2. Brdu+ cell; 3. Nestin+ cell. | 1. P < 0.05 (5, 7, 14d); 2. P < 0.05; 3. P < 0.05. |
| Wang 2013 (19) | SD rats (male, 12/12) | 250–300 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL)+ transplantation of BMSC | 4% chloralhydrate | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 2–15HZ and current density of 1 mA (baihui, shuigou) | Non-EA+ transplantation of BMSC | Proliferation | 1. NFS (mNSS, 7, 14d); 2. Infarct volume; 3. Brdu+ cell; 4. NSE+ cell. | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05 (14d); 3. P > 0.05; 4. P < 0.01 (14d) |
| Tang 2008 (20) | Wistar rats (12/12) | 250–300 g | MCAO | 10% chloralhydrate (35 mg/Kg) | EA 15 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 5–10 HZ and current density of 2 mA (quchi, zusanli) | Non-EA | Differentiation | 1. Dil/Brdu/NeuN+ cell (7, 14, 21d); 2. Dil/Brdu/GFAP+ cell | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05 |
| Liu 2001 (21) | SD rats (male, 20/20) | 250–280 g | Permanent MCAO | 1% pentobarbital sodium | EA 30 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 5–10 HZ and current density of 1–5 mA (baihui, dazhui) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (Bederson, 3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. Brdu+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05 |
| Tao 2008 (22) | SD rats (male, 27/27) | 250 ± 30 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (0.3 ml/100 g) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 1–20 HZ and current density of 6 V (quchi, zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. Brdu+ cells (4, 7, 14d); 2. Brdu/NeuN+ cells; 3. Brdu/GFAP+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05 (7d); 2. P > 0.05; 3. P < 0.05 (7d). |
| Diao 2008 (23) | Wistar rats (male, 23/26) | 250 ± 10 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (350 mg/Kg) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 30–100 HZ and current density of 6–15 V (chengjiang, qihai, guanyuan) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. Brdu+ cells (7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu/Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < ;0.01; 2. P < 0.05/0.01). |
| Yang 2006 (24) | Wistar rats (male, 18/18) | 250 ± 20 g | MCAO/2 h | 10% chloralhydrate (350 mg/Kg) | EA 10 min after reperfusion per day,(chengjiang, qihai, guanyuan) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. Brdu+ cells (7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu/GFAP+ cells; 3. Brdu/Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.01 (14, 28d); 2. P < 0.01 (28d); 3. P < 0.05 (14, 28d). |
| Song 2008 (25) | SD rats (male, 12/12) | 250–300 g | MCAO/30 min (Koizumi) | 10% chloralhydrate (3 ml/Kg) | MA 20 min after reperfusion per day,(shuigou, neiguan, quchi, zusanli) | Non-MA | Differentiation. | 1. NFS (Bederson, 2, 7d); 2. GFAP level. | 1. P < ;0.05 (7d); 2. P < 0.01 (7d). |
| Yang 2008 (26) | Wistar rats (male, 30/30) | 250 ± 10 g | MCAO/2 h | 10% chloralhydrate (35 mg/100 g) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 30/100 Hz and current density of 5 V (Du: renzhong, baihui) | Non-EA | Differentiation. | GFAP+ cells (7, 14, 28d) | P < 0.05 (14, 28d) |
| (Rendu: chengjiang, guanyuan, renzhong, baihui) | GFAP+ cells | P < 0.05 (14, 28d) | |||||||
| Pi 2006 (27) | Wistar rats (male, 22/24) | 250 ± 10 g | MCAO/2 h + bFGF | 10% chloralhydrate (35 mg/100 g) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 30/100 Hz and current density of 6–15 V (chengjiang, qihai, guanyuan) | Non-EA + bFGF | Proliferation | 1. Brdu+ cells (7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu/Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05. |
| Ye 2012 (28) | Wistar rats (male, 60/60) | 250 ± 30 g | MCAO | 2% pentobarbital sodium (45 mg/Kg) | EA 15 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 5 Hz and current density of 2 mA, total 7 days (zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. Brdu+ cells; 2. Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05. |
| Li 2008 (29) | SD rats (male, 6/18) | 220 ± 10 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (3 ml/Kg) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 2–15 Hz and current density of 1–5 mA, total 7 days (shuigou, baihui) | Non-EA | Proliferation | Brdu+ cells (7, 14, 30d) | P < 0.01 (7d) |
| You 2012 (30) | SD rats (male, 24/24) | 450–500 g | Permanent MCAO | 10% chloralhydrate (25 mg/100 g) | EA 20 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 2 Hz and current density of 1–2 mA (shousanli, waiguan, futu, zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (Garcia, 1, 2, 3, 4w); 2. Infarct volume; 3. Nestin+ cells; 4. GAP-43+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05 (2, 3d); 2. P < 0.05 (1, 2, 3w); 3. P < 0.05 (2, 3w); 4. P < 0.05 (2, 3w). |
| Mi 2010 (31) | SD rats (male, 90/90) | 220–280 g | MCAO (ZL) | 3.5% chloralhydrate (1 ml/100 g) | EA 20 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 10 Hz (baihui, quchi) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (ZL, 6 h, 3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. Muscle testing; 3. GAP-43+ cells | 1. P < 0.01 (21d), P > 0.05 (6 h, 3, 7, 14d); 2. P < 0.01 (14, 21d); 3. P < 0.01 (3, 7, 14d). |
| Bao 2007 (32) | Wistar rats (10/10) | 300 ± 20 g | MCAO/ 1.5 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (3 ml/Kg) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 5–30 Hz and current density of 2 V, total 28 days (baihui, dazhui, guanyuan, housanli) | Non-EA nor MA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. NFS (ZL, 1–28d); 2. Brdu+ cells (28d); 3. Nestin+ cells; 4. GFAP mRNA level; 5. Nestin mRNA level. | 1. P < 0.05 (14, 17, 21, 24, 28d); 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.05; 5. P < 0.01. |
| MA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 5–30 Hz and current density of 2 V, total 28 days (baihui, dazhui, guanyuan, housanli) | Non-EA nor MA | 1. P < 0.05 (14, 17, 21, 24, 28d); 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.05; 5. P < 0.05. | |||||||
| Chen 2003 (33) | SD rats (male, 18/18) | 200 ± 20 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (3 ml/Kg) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 4–16 Hz and current density of 3 mA (baihui, shangxing) | Non-EA; | Proliferation, migration. | 1. NFS (ZL, 1–14d); 2. Infarct volume (4, 7, 14d); 3. Nestin+ cells; 4. Brdu+ cells; 5. PSA-NCAM. | 1. P > 0.05; 2. P < 0.05 (7d), P > 0.05 (4, 14d); 3.P > 0.05; 4. P > 0.05; 5. P > 0.05. |
| Li 2004 (34) | SD rats (male, 40/40) | 450–500 g | Permanent MCAO (Wahl) | 10% chloralhydrate (300 mg/Kg) | EA 20 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 75 min−1 and current density of 1–2 mA (shousanli, waiguan, futu, zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation, migration, differentiation | 1. NFS (Garcia, 1–14d); 2. Infarct size (1, 2, 3, 4w); 3. Brdu+ cells; 4. PSA-NCAM+ cells; 5. DCX+ cells; 6. Brdu/NeuN+ cells; 7. Brdu/GFAP+ cells | 1. P < 0.05 (2, 3d); 2. P < 0.05 (2, 3w); 3. P < 0.05 (1, 2w); 4. P < 0.05 (1, 2, 3w); 5. P < 0.05; 6. P < 0.05 (1w); 7. P < 0.05 (3, 4w). |
| Zhang 2011 (35) | Wistar rats (female, 30/30) | 200 ± 20 g | MCAO/1 h (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (30 mg/Kg) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 2–100 Hz and current density of 2 mA | Non-EA | Proliferation, migration | 1. NFS (ZL, 7, 14, 28d); 2. Brdu+ cells; 3. Brdu/ PSA-NCAM+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05 (28d); 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01. |
| Zhao 2006 (36) | Wistar rats (male, 10/10) | 320 ± 20 g | MCAO (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (3 ml/Kg) | EA 15 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 5–30 Hz and current density of 0.8 mA, total 24 days. (baihui, fengfu) | Non-EA nor moxibustion | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. NFS (ZL, 1–24d); 2. Nestin+ cells; 3. Brdu+ cells; 4. Nestin mRNA level; 5. GFAP mRNA level. | 1. P < 0.05 (13, 16, 19, 22, 24d); 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.05; 5. P < 0.05. |
| Moxibustion 15 min after surgery per day, total 24 days. (baihui, guanyuan, zusanli) | 1.P < 0.05 (13, 16, 19, 22, 24d); 2. P < 0.01; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.01; 5. P < 0.05 | ||||||||
| Liu 2005 (37) | SD rats (male, 36/36) | 250–280 g | Permanent MCAO | 10 g/l pentobarbital sodium (50 mg/Kg) | EA 30 min after surgery per day, with frequency of 5–10 Hz. (baihui, dazhui) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (Bederson, 3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05/0.01; 2. P < 0.05/0.01. |
| Yu 2010 (38) | Wistar rats (male, 25/25) | 360 ± 20 g | MCAO (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (35 mg/Kg) | EA 30 min after surgery per day (baihui, dazhui) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. NFS (ZL, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21d); 2. Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05/0.01; 2. P < 0.05/0.01 (3, 7, 14, 21d). |
| Wan 2010 (39) | SD rats (male, 48/48) | 90–120 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | NR | EA 15 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 3 Hz and current density of 3 V, total 14 days. (baihui, dazhui) | Non-EA | Differentiation. | 1. BWC (1, 7, 14, 28d); 2.GFAP+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05 (1, 7d); 1. P < 0.05 (7, 14, 28d). |
| Zhao 2004 (40) | Wistar rats (male, 40/40) | 250–300 g | MCAO/1 h (ZL) | 3.5% chloralhydrate (10 ml/Kg) | EA 15 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 60/40 Hz and current density of 1.5 V, total 7 days. (hegu-L14) | Non-EA | Proliferation | 1. Infarct volume (1d); 2. NFS (ZL, 1, 7, 14, 21, 28d); 3.Brdu+ cells; 4.Nestin+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05; 3.P < 0.05 (7d); 4. P < 0.05 (7d). |
| Tao 2010 (41) | SD rats (male, 20/20) | 250 ± 30 g | MCAO/2 h (ZL) | 2% isoflurane | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 1–20 Hz (quchi, zusanli) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. NFS (Garcia, 4, 7, 14, 21d); 2.Brdu+ cells; 3. Brdu/GFAP+ cells; 4. Brdu/NeuN+ cells. | 1. P < 0.05 (7, 14, 21d); 2.P < 0.05 (7, 14d); 3. P < 0.05 (7, 14d); 4. P < 0.05 (21d). |
| Yang 2005 (42) | SD rats (male, 6/8) | 220–250 g | MCAO/ 30 min (ZL) | 10% chloralhydrate (360 mg/Kg) | EA 20 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 60/2 Hz and current density of 10 mA, total 13 days. (fengfu, jinsuo) | Non-EA | Proliferation, differentiation | 1. Infarct volume; 2. Brdu+ cells; 3. Brdu/CRMP-4+ cells; 4. Brdu/MAP-2+ cells | 1. P < 0.05; 2. P < 0.05; 3. P < 0.05; 4. P < 0.05. |
| Cheng 2009 (43) | SD rats (male, 12/12) | 250–280 g | MCAO/2 h + PBS | 10% chloralhydrate (350 mg/Kg) | EA 30 min after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 4 Hz and current density of 2 mA, total 3 days. (baihui, renzhong) | Non-EA + PBS | Proliferation | 1. NFS (mNSS, 1, 7, 14, 21, 28d); 2. Infarct volume (28d); 3. Brdu+ cells (7, 28d). | 1. P > 0.05; 2. P > 0.05; 3. P < 0.05. |
| Kim 2014 (44) | C57BL/6 mice (male, 6/6) | NR | MCAO/ 40 min (ZL) | isoflurane | EA 20 min from 5 day after reperfusion per day, with frequency of 2 Hz and output voltage of 2 V, total 10 days. (baihui GV20, dazhui GV14) | Non-EA | Proliferation, Differentiation | 1. Rotarod test (40, 47d); 2. Morris water maze tests (44–46d); 3. Brdu+ cells (14d); 4. Brdu/Dcx+ cells (14d); 5. Brdu/NeuN+ cells (47d); 6. Brdu/ GFAP+ cells (47d). | 1. P < 0.05/0.01; 2. P < 0.05; 3. P < 0.01; 4. P < 0.01; 5. P < 0.05; 6. P < 0.001. |
Note: TMS (total motor scores; CB: calbindin; MCAT: Middle CerebralArtery Trumbosis; PCNA proliferation cell nuclear antigen; BWC: Brain water content; NFS: Neural functional score; BMSC: bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; EA: electroaucpunture; MA: manual acupuncture; PSA-NCAM: polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule; Brdu: bromodeoxyuridine; GFAP: Glial fibrillary acidic protein; NR: no report.