ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect and action mechanism of moxibustion on healing of cutaneous wound in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four SD rats were selected and made into linear full-thickness skin injury model. With randomized digital table, rats were randomly divided into a treatment group and a model group, 12 cases in each one. Then according to treatment time, each group was again divided into a 1d group, a 3d group and a 7d group, 4 cases in each one. The moxibustion at injured skin was applied in the treatment group, 30 min per time, once a day. Hematoxylineosin (HE) staining method was adapted to measure growth status of capillary and number of vascular endothelial cell; immunohistochemical method was used to measure the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wound healing indices in the treatment 7d group were higher than those in the model 7d group on both the 4th day and 8th day after treatment (both P < 0.05). The number of capillary in the treatment 1d group and 3d group was higher than that in the model 1 d and 3 d groups (both 1 < 0.05). The number of capillary in the treatment 7d group was lower than that in the model 7d group (P < 0.05). The number of vascular endothelial cell in the treatment 3d group was higher than that in the model 3d group (P < 0.05). The number of vascular endothelial cell in the treatment 7d group was lower than that in the model 7d group (P < 0.05). The difference of number of vascular endothelial cell between the treatment 1d group and model 1d group was not significant (P > 0.05). Positive cells accumulated score of V EGF expression in the treatment 3d group was higher than that in the model 3d group (P < 0.05). Positive cells accumulated score of VEGF expression in the treatment 7d group was lower than that in the model 7d group (P < 0.05). The difference of positive cells accumulated score of VEGF expression between the treatment 1d group and model 1d group was not significant (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Moxibustion could improve the healing of skin wound in rats, which could be related with regulating vascular endothelial cell and VEGF in wound tissue at different time.</p>