Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ligustrazine injection for acute cerebral ischemic stroke. Method:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)involving ligustrazine injection in the treatment for acute cerebral ischemic stroke were searched by computer from Cochrane Library

PubMed

EMbase

CBM

CNKI

CMJD

ChiCTR and identified by the inclusive and exclusive criteria. The quality of all trials included was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook 5.0.RevMan5.1 was used for data analysis. Result:Seven RCTs involving 679 patients were included. Compared to conventional medicine treatment alone

ligustrazine injection plus conventional medicine treatment showed no significant difference in effective rate (RR=1.10

95％CI[0.98

1.24]).Compared to Danshen plus conventional medicine treatment

ligustrazine group showed improvement in effective rate (RR=1.28

95％CI[1.13

1.45])and neurological deficit scores(MD=5.05

95％CI[3.5

6.6]). Ligustrazine group also showed better results in lowering WBLSV

BVH

plasma viscosity

HCT and fibrinogen compared to either conventional or Danshen group. There was no significant difference in effective rate

neurological deficiency score

WBLSV

BVH

plasma viscosity

HCT and fibrinogen between ligustrazine and vinpocetine group. Four studies conducted safety assessment and one of them reported minor adverse events. Conclusion:Ligustrazine injection plus conventional medicine treatment was a safe therapeutic method with few side effect

but showed no better effect in improvement of recent neurological deficit compared to conventional treatment alone. According to this study

ligustrazine injection was not suggested to add in conventional treatment for acute cerebral ischemic stroke and high quality RCTs were needed to provide clear evidence for its clinical efficacy.