Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture combined with a Chinese medicine, Danhong injection, on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.Methods Middle cerebral artery ( MCA ) occlusion was prepared by putting a nylon suture in the MCA.The MCA blood flow in the animals was restored at two hours after the MCA occlusion by withdrawing the suture to the external carotid artery (ECA).The acupoints“Baihui”(DU20) and “Zusanli”(ST36) were acupunctured and stimulated by twirling the acupuncture needle after reperfusion, and the rats were also administered with Danhong injection by intravenous injection, once every day for three days.Zea-Longa scores were recorded to assess the changes of neurological function. The rats were sacrificed at 72 h after reperfusion. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride ( TTC) staining was used to measure cerebral infarction size.Western blot was used to test the level of Bcl-2 and Bax in the ischemic penumbra.Results The acupuncture combined with Danhong injection treatment group displayed markedly lower neurologic deficit scores, reduced ischemic infarct surface, increased expression of Bcl-2 protein, and reduced expression of Bax protein, compared with those in the model group and Danhong injection alone group.Conclusions Acupuncture combined with Danhong injection show more significant neuroprotective effect than Danhong injection treatment alone on rat models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.