OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of needling acupoins of Guanyuan (CV4),Sanyinjiao (SP6),Zu-sanli (ST36),Pishu (BL20),Shenshu (BL23),Zigong(EX-CA1) on the expression of p38 mitogen-activat-ed protein kinase (p38MAPK) in ovarian tissue in rats with premature ovarian failure induced by cy-clophosphamide,and to study the underlying mechanism.METHODS:Forty specific pathogen free female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the blank group,the model group,the acupunc-ture group,the Western Medicine group and the Western Medicine combined with acupuncture group.Except the blank group,the rest of the rats were given with cyclophosphamide for 14 d to es-tablish premature ovarian failure model.No inter-vention was conducted in the blank group and model group;the acupuncture group was given with acupuncture daily;the Western Medicine group was given with estradiol valerate (0.09 mg/kg) by intragastrical gavage daily;the combination group was given with acupuncture combined with estradiol valerate (0.09 mg/kg) daily.Each group was intervened in continuously for 14 d.After the last treatment,the levels of estradiol (E2),follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hor-mone (LH) were detected by enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay,then the ovarian tissue was dis-sected.Western blot was used to detect the expres-sion of p38MAPK protein.RESULTS:Compared with the blank group,E2 in the serum of rats in the model group was signifi-cantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05),FSH and LH were signifi-cantly increased (P ＜ 0.05),and the expression of p38MAPK protein in the ovarian tissue of the rats was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the model group,E2 in the serum of the acu-puncture group,Western Medicine group and the combination group were significantly increased(P ＜ 0.05),FSH and LH levels were significantly de-creased (P ＜ 0.05),and the expression of p38MAPK protein in the ovarian tissue of the rats was signifi-cantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05).However,there was no statistically significant difference between the West-ern Medicine group and the acupuncture group(P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:Acupuncture has the same effect as estrogen in interfering POF caused by cyclophos-phamide,and its mechanism may be related to in-hibiting the expression of p38MAPK protein in ovar-ian tissue and affecting the activation of p38MAPK signaling pathway.