Table 1 Characteristics of included randomized trials of acupuncture for ulcerative colitis

RenY2014

2014

I:10/14

C:12/12

I:24

C:24

I:46.25 ± 15.11

C:50.2 ± 14.19

I:5.08 ± 2.1 years

C:4.83 ± 1.74 years

46

Acupuncture + mesalazine vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, activity index for UC, TCM syndrome score, colonoscopy curative effect, mucosal pathology, adverse effects

BL23, BL20, BL25, BL21, SP4, ST25, ST36, KI3, CV12, CV4

both sides

30 min

1 time/day

Y

mesalazine: 1 time/day, 1.0 g/time

JiaJN2015

2015

I:16/16

C:18/14

I:32

C:32

I:28–60

C:24–57

I:1–8 years

C:1–7 years

60

Acupuncture + mesalazine vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, T Cell subsets

CV3, CV4, CV6, ST25, SP15, BL25, ST36, ST37, SP6, LR3

NR

30 min

1 time/day

Y

mesalazine: 4 times/day, 1.0 g/time

YangSQ2012

2012

I:14/16

C:15/15

I:30

C:30

I:24–49

C:25–53

I:0.5–5 years

C:0.7–6 years

28

Acupuncture + mesalazine vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, clinical symptom score, colonoscopy curative effect, self-rating depression scale, adverse effects

Selected the frontal area as the therapeutic area by seven - area division of the head acupoints

NR

6 h

NR

Y

mesalazine: 4 times/day, 1.0 g/time

XueLZ2018

2018

I:25/22

C:24/23

I:47

C:47

I:28–75(40.3 ± 13.9)

C:29–74(40.1 ± 12.8)

I:NRC:NR

14

Acupuncture vs. metronidazole + sulfasalazine

Clinical effect, adverse effects

CV4, CV6, GV1, BL25, ST25, SP6, ST36

NR

20 min

1 time/day

N

metronidazole: 3 times/day, 0.2 g/time; sulfasalazine: 3 times/day,0.2 g/time

LiuXH2013

2013

I:29/33

C:30/32

I:62

C:62

I:23–76(50.67 ± 6.82)

C:24–74(51.14 ± 5.46)

I:9–19(13.63 ± 5.16) months

C:9–20(14.10 ± 5.22) months

–

Acupuncture vs. metronidazole + sulfasalazine

Clinical effect, adverse effects

CV4, CV6, ST25, BL25, GV1, ST36, SP6

NR

10 -30 min

2 times/day

N

metronidazole: 3 times/day, 2-3 g/time; sulfasalazine: 3 times/day, The starting dose is 2–3 g/day, which can be increased to 4–6 g/day according to the patient’s condition. After the patient’s condition is stable, the dosage can be reduced to 1.5 to 2 g/day

LiCH2017

2017

I:25/25

C:26/24

I:50

C:50

I:27–75(45.5 ± 4.5)

C:27–76(46.8 ± 4.2)

I:9–18(13 ± 1.5) months

C:10–18(12 ± 1.8) months

–

Acupuncture vs. metronidazole + sulfasalazine

Clinical effect, pathological change ratio

CV4, CV6, ST25, GV1, BL25, SP6, ST36

NR

10-30 min

2 times/day

N

metronidazole: 3 times/day, 0.2 g/time; sulfasalazine: 3 times/day, 2.0 g/time

ZhangZZ2018

2018

I:29/21

C:27/23

I:50

C:50

I:32–66(44.1 ± 3.2)

C:31–65(43.6 ± 3.0)

I:1–9(3.6 ± 1.5) months

C:1–8(3.5 ± 1.7) months

14

Acupuncture vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, IL-2

ST25, ST36), GV1, SP6

NR

16-22 min

1 time/day

N

mesalazine: 3 times/day, 1.0–2.0 g/time

WangMC2017

2017

I:12/13

C:17/8

I:25

C:25

I:38–74(56.8 ± 2.4)

C:36–69(52.5 ± 3.8)

I:1 month-4 years

C:1 month-3 years

10

Acupuncture vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, adverse effects

ST25, SP6, GV1, ST36, BL18, BL20, BL23

NR

20 min

1 time/day

N

mesalazine: 3 times/day, 2.0 g/time

LuanBY2016

2016

I:13/12

C:14/11

I:25

C:25

I:26–42(34 ± 5.75)

C:23–42(31.28 ± 6.13)

I:NR

C:NR

56

Acupuncture vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, adverse effects

SP4, KI3, ST36, CV4, ST25, BL16, BL20, BL21, BL22, BL25, GV2, GV6

NR

30 min

1 time/day

N

mesalazine: 4 times/day, 1.0 g/time

ZhangHC2009

2009

I:23/17

C:25/15

I:40

C:40

I:20–65(42.64 ± 6.9)

C:19–67(38.73 ± 7.5)

I:2.2–7.9(3.9 ± 2.3) years

C:2.2–7.4(4.1 ± 1.7) years

28

Acupuncture vs. sulfasalazine

Clinical effect, adverse effects

Gastric region was selected according to functional localization of cerebral cortex

NR

5-10 min

1 time/day

N

sulfasalazine: 3 times/day, 2.0 g/time

YanZL2018

2018

I:25/20

C:23/22

I:50

C:50

I:25–78(42.6 ± 11.7)

C:26–77(41.3 ± 12.5)

I:NR

C:NR

14

Acupuncture + metronidazole + sulfasalazine vs. metronidazole + sulfasalazine

Clinical effect

ST25, BL25, GV1, CV6, CV4, ST36, SP6

NR

20 min

1 time/day

Y

metronidazole: 3 times/day,0.2 g/time; sulfasalazine: 3 times/day, 0.2 g/time

ZhangCY2018

2018

I:30/20

C:26/24

I:50

C:50

I:34–70(46.5 ± 0.5)

C:35–69(45.6 ± 0.01)

I:9 days-2 years (1.2 ± 0.01) years

C:10 days-3 years (2.1 ± 0.01) years

30

Acupuncture + metronidazole vs. metronidazole

Clinical effect, adverse effects

CV4, CV6, ST25, GV1, BL25, SP6, ST36

NR

10-30 min

2 times/day

Y

metronidazole: 3 times/day,0.2 g/time

PangHM2020

2020

I:16/14

C:19/11

I:30

C:30

I: 41.63 ± 12.86

C: 43.33 ± 15.51

I: 36.90 ± 20.94 months

C: 38.03 ± 18.42 months

30

Acupuncture + mesalazine vs. mesalazine

Clinical effect, Baron score

BL31, BL32, BL33,BL34

both sides

30 min

1time/2 days

Y

mesalazine: 4 times/day, 1.0 g/time