Objective To explore the possible mechanism of electroacupuncture at "Shuigou（GV26）" acupoint to improve the cerebral circulation in rats with cerebral infarction. Methods A total of 130 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a model group（N=40）

an electroacupuncture group（n=40）

a sham operation group（n=40） and a blank group（n=10）. The middle cerebral artery embolism（MCAO） model was duplicated by thread embolization and was administered in model group and electroacupuncture group. The thread was not inserted in the sham operation group. Only grasping and fixation were performed in the blank group. After the model was prepared

rats in groups except for blank group were randomly divided into 3 h

6 h

12 h and 24 h phases

with 10 rats in each phase. Rats in the electroacupuncture group were immediately needled at "Shuigou（GV26）" acupoint after MCAO

and were stimulated for 20 min

while rats in the model group

sham operation group and blank group were all grasped and fixed without treatment. The anterior

middle and posterior cerebral arteries in the infarcted side were separated and cut for 8 mm at each time phase in each group respectively. The real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR） method was used to detect the mRNA expression of the three subunits of inositol triphosphate（IP3） receptors of IP3-calcium channel（IP3-Ca）

which were IP3 receptor 1（IP3 R1）

IP3 receptor 2（IP3 R2） and IP3 receptor 3（IP3 R3）. Results Compared to blank group and sham operation group

the mRNA expression of IP3 R1 at 3 h

6 h

12 h

24 h（P<0.05）; the mRNA expression of IP3 R2 at 3 h

6 h

12 h（P<0.05 or P<0.01）; and the mRNA expression of IP3 R3 at 3 h

6 h（P<0.05） of model group significantly increased. Compared to model group

the mRNA expression of IP3 R1 at 3 h

IP3 R2 at 3 h and 6 h

and IP3 R3 at 3 h of electroacupuncture group significantly decreased（P<0.05）

while there were no statistical differences between model group and electroacupuncture group at other measurement time（P>0.05）. Conclusion Electroacupuncture can significantly inhibit the increase of mRNA expression of IP3 R1

IP3 R2 and IP3 R3 of IP3-Ca channel in the cerebral vascular smooth muscle of MCAO model rats. This may explain the mechanism by which electroacupuncture can inhibit the cerebral vascular smooth muscle spasm after ischemia

and maintain normal blood vessel function and status

thereby to increase the blood perfusion around cerebral infarction area.