AIM: To evaluate the objectivity of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depressive neurosis by using 24-item Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), and take Prozac as standard control. METHODS: Eighty-one patients with depressive neurosis, who were treated in Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between May 2004 and February 2005, were randomly divided into routine acupoint acupuncture group (n = 28), Prozac group (n = 24) and non-acupoint acupuncture group (n = 25). They were assessed with the 24-item HAMD at 3 months after treatment, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated with the rate of decreasing score. RESULTS: Finally 77 cases were involved in the analysis of results. (1) The scores of HAMD after treatment in the routine acupoint acupuncture group, Prozac group and non-acupoint acupuncture group were obviously lower than those before treatment (26.01 +/- 3.99, 16.52 +/- 7.13; 25.14 +/- 5.78, 15.48 +/- 6.01; 25.65 +/- 3.42, 20.37 +/- 6.29, p < 0.05). (2) The HAMD score in the routine acupoint acupuncture group was insignificantly different from that Prozac group (t = 0.57, p > 0.05), but significantly different from that in the non-acupoint acupuncture group (t = 2.14, p < 0.05). (3) The therapeutic effect in the routine acupoint acupuncture group was similar to that in the Prozac group (z = -0.182, p > 0.05), but superior to that in the non-acupoint acupuncture group (z = -2.09, p = 0.037). (4) Gastrointestinal abnormality occurred in 4 cases of the Prozac group, no adverse event was observed in the acupuncture groups. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for depressive neurosis.

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