Objective Moxibustion is one of the commonly used therapy of traditional Chinese medicine by applying burning dried mugwort on particular acupoints of the body surface.In the present paper

we reviewed progress of researches about the mechanisms of moxibustion treatment undering imporvement of blood circulation in recent 15 years.Research results displayed that moxibustion can dilate blood vessels to increase blood flow and improve microcirculation

not only in the local superficial vessels of body

but also in the deep tissues as the brain

stomach and mesentery

kidney

heart

etc.

as well as in the distal blood vessels.The vasodilator action of moxibustion stimulation is related to nerve regulation

endothelium derived relaxing factors and vasodilator mediator

etc.through 1)interaction of acetylcholine(Ach)/muscarinic receptor(MR)and noradrenaline(NE)/α-orβ-receptor;2)nitric oxide synthase(NOS)/NO/arachidonic acid/prostacyclin(PGI2)/endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor(EDHF)pathway;3)EDHF/TRPV 4/KCa channel

cytochrome P 450 oxidase/epoxyeicosatrienoicacid(EET);4)EET/TRPV 4/big conductance calcium-activated potassium channel(BKCa);5)sulfuretted hydrogen(H2 S)/ATP-sensitive potassium channel(KATP)or voltage-gated potassium channels(Kv 7);6)NO/substance P(SP)or CGRP and adrenergicβ2 receptor(R)/TRPV 1/adenosin A 1 Rand A 2 R/NK 1 Rpathway;7)PGI2/adenylyl cyclase(cAMP)/PKA and vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP)

etc.in the vascular endothelium and smooth muscle.These research results may help us understand the effects and mechanisms of moxibustion in the treatment of different clinical conditions by improving microcirculation.