Objective To investigate the effect of moxibustion on wound healing

new capillaries and tissue repair in rats with full thickness skin excision. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into control

moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups

with 24 rats in each group. The full-thickness skin excision injury model was replicated according to Balaji's and colleague's methods. Rats in the moxa-fumigating group received fumigation of moxa-smog at the wound surface(25 min/time) immediately after modeling through a smoke-heat separation device

and those of the moxa-heating group received conventional thermal stimulation of the ignited moxa over the wound(25 min/time) without moxa smog

once a day for 10 consecutive days. The wound color

pus

carrion

granulation

and healing status of the rats were observed. H.E. staining and Masson staining were used to observe the local tissues and collagen fibers of the wound on the 3

(rd)

and 7(rd) and 7

(th)

days. Newly born capillaries at the wound surface were observed on the 10(th) days. Newly born capillaries at the wound surface were observed on the 10

(th)

day. Results Following modeling

the wound area of the moxa-fumigating group on the 1(th) day. Results Following modeling

the wound area of the moxa-fumigating group on the 1

(st)

and 7(st) and 7

(th)

day

and those of both moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups on the 3(th) day

and those of both moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups on the 3

(rd)

and 5(rd) and 5

(th)

day were significantly reduced compared with the model group(P

<

0.001)

and the wound area of the moxa-fumigating group was obviously smaller than that of the moxa-hea-ting group(P

<

0.01

P

<

0.001). On the 3(th) day were significantly reduced compared with the model group(P

<

0.001)

and the wound area of the moxa-fumigating group was obviously smaller than that of the moxa-hea-ting group(P

<

0.01

P

<

0.001). On the 3

(rd)

and 7(rd) and 7

(th)

day after modeling

the re-epithelialization rates were significantly increased(P

<

0.001)

and the amounts of inflammatory cells were significantly reduced in both moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups(P

<

0.001). At the same time

the re-epithelialization rate of the moxa-fumigating group was higher than that of the moxa-heating group(P

<

0.05

P

<

0.001)

and the inflammatory cell count of the moxa-fumigating group was lower than that of the moxa-hea-ting group(P

<

0.001). On the 10(th) day after modeling

the re-epithelialization rates were significantly increased(P

<

0.001)

and the amounts of inflammatory cells were significantly reduced in both moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups(P

<

0.001). At the same time

the re-epithelialization rate of the moxa-fumigating group was higher than that of the moxa-heating group(P

<

0.05

P

<

0.001)

and the inflammatory cell count of the moxa-fumigating group was lower than that of the moxa-hea-ting group(P

<

0.001). On the 10

(th)

day after the modeling

the number of new capillaries and capillary density in the wound basal layer were significantly increased in both moxa-fumigating and moxa-heating groups(P

<

0.05

P

<

0.001

P

<

0.01)

and were notably higher in the moxa-fumigating group than in the moxa-heating group(P

<

0.01

P

<

0.05). Conclusion Both fumigation and heating of moxibustion can promote wound healing in rats with full-thickness skin excision injury

which may be related to their effects in controlling the inflammatory response and promoting the production of collagen fibers

granulation tissue and capillaries.