Objective:To investigate the effects of Wenpi Tongluo Kaiqiao Prescription combined with scalp acupuncture on the expression levels of hippocampal autophagy markers Beclin1, P62 and MAP1-LC3 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model rats.Methods:The AD rat model was established by stereotactic drug injection, and randomly divided into model group, acupuncture-medicine group, and Western medicine group. Sham-operation group and control group were set, with 10 rats in each group. The acupuncture-medicine group was treated with scalp acupuncture plus Wenpi Tongluo Kaiqiao Prescription (16.8 g/kg); the Western medicine group was treated with donepezil hydrochloride tablets (0.08 mg/kg in week 1, 0.16 mg/kg in week 2, 0.24 mg/kg in week 3, 0.32 mg/kg in week 4) for gavage. The sham-operation group, the control group and the model group were treated with equal volume of normal saline for gavage. The drug was administered 2 weeks after modeling. Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory abilities of rats in each group after continuous administration for 4 weeks, and the hippocampus of the animal was taken after Morris water maze. HE staining and TUNEL staining were used to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampal CA1 region in each group. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of Beclin1, P62 and MAP1-LC3 protein genes.Results:Compared with the model group, the escape latency of rats in the acupuncture-medicine group and Western medicine groups was significantly shortened ( P<0.05), and the number of times they crossed the platform increased ( P<0.05). The HE and TUNEL results indicated that the model group rats had abnormal tissue structure and cell morphology in the CA1 area of the hippocampus, with significant cell degeneration. There were more autophagic vesicles in the cytoplasm of hippocampal neurons, and the structure of autophagic lysosomes was clear and complete; the tissue structure, cell morphology, and cellular degeneration of the CA1 area in the hippocampus of rats treated with acupuncture and medicine were significantly improved. The percentage of cell apoptosis in the acupuncture-medicine group and Western medicine group decreased ( P<0.05), the expression of Beclin1 protein in hippocampal tissue increased, and the expressions of MAP1-LC3 and P62 proteins decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Wenpi Tongluo Kaiqiao Prescription combined with scalp acupuncture can suppress the apoptosis of hippocampal CA1 neurons, promote cognitive and memory recovery in AD rats by promoting the expression of Beclin1 in the hippocampus, inhibiting the expression of P62 and LC3, enhancing autophagy levels, and increasing autophagic activity.