Objective:To investigate the effects of acupuncture therapy on acute cerebral infarction. Methods: Eighty patients with acute cerebral infarction were randomly divided into a treatment group of 40 cases and a control group of 40 cases. Xuanzhong(GB 39)-through-Sanyinjiao(SP 6) acupuncture was performed as a main treatment. The curative effects were compared between the two groups and the sizes of cerebral infarct, between pretreatment and posttreatment after one course of treatment. Results: The total recovery rate was 88.5% in the treatment group and 57.5% in the control group after one course of treatment. There was a significant difference between the two(P<0.05). The rate of change in the infarct for the better was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. There was also a significant difference(P<0.05). Conclusion: This treatment is an effective method for lowering the rate of apoplectic disability and raising the cure rate.