Governor Vessel Acupuncture Shows Neuroprotective Benefits in Experimental Ischemic Stroke: Meta-Analysis
China: A recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Medicine journal has revealed that acupuncture targeting the governor vessel (GV) may offer significant neuroprotective benefits in ischemic stroke.
The study, led by Zhuqing Jin from the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, analyzed experimental evidence to clarify the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of GV acupuncture in ischemic stroke models.
Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide, with limited treatment options aimed at restoring neurological function. While acupuncture has been widely explored as an adjunct therapy, GV acupuncture—focused along the spinal midline—has drawn increasing attention for its potential superiority over conventional approaches. To evaluate this, the researchers systematically reviewed animal studies assessing GV acupuncture in experimental ischemic stroke.
The authors searched six major databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and several Chinese literature sources, for studies published up to December 2024. A total of 20 eligible experimental studies were included, and pooled analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4.
Key Findings:
- GV acupuncture significantly reduced cerebral infarct size and led to better neurological deficit scores compared with control interventions.
- Animals receiving GV acupuncture showed fewer TUNEL-positive cells, indicating a reduction in neuronal apoptosis within ischemic brain regions.
- GV acupuncture was associated with improved cellular energy metabolism, reflected by significantly higher levels of ATP, ADP, and AMP in ischemic tissue.
- The therapy enhanced the activity of ion-regulating enzymes, including Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-ATPase, supporting improved ionic homeostasis in damaged brain areas.
- Lower levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were observed in the hippocampus following GV acupuncture, suggesting reduced neuroinflammatory responses.
- The number of Nestin-positive cells was reduced in the GV acupuncture group, possibly indicating less injury-induced reactive neurogenesis.
Taken together, these findings suggest that GV acupuncture exerts its therapeutic effects through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of apoptosis, suppression of inflammation, stabilization of ion balance, and enhancement of cerebral energy metabolism. These multimodal actions may collectively contribute to improved neurological outcomes following ischemic stroke.
However, the authors caution that many included studies lacked clear reporting on blinding during ischemia induction or outcome assessment, raising concerns about potential bias. They emphasize the need for more rigorously designed experimental studies. Future research should also aim to determine optimal acupoint selection, stimulation parameters, and treatment duration, as well as further explore how GV acupuncture influences key neural pathways such as the corticospinal tract.
"Overall, the study provides experimental evidence supporting GV acupuncture as a promising complementary approach for ischemic stroke, warranting further investigation before clinical translation," the authors concluded.
Reference:
Wang, Jiashan MBBSa; Su, Pingping MMedb; Yu, Tao PhDc; Luo, Xinxin MMedd; Huang, Junyue MBBSa; Wu, Kenan MSe; Zhang, Yuzhou MMedc; Niu, Jianli PhDf; Jin, Zhuqing PhDc,*. Governor vessel acupuncture therapy in experimental ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine 104(52):p e47027, December 26, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000047027
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