[Arnebia root oil promotes wound healing and expression of basic fibroblast growth factor on the wound surface in rabbits].

OBJECTIVE To observe the promoting effect of arnebia root oils on expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in skin wound of rabbits and the histomorphological changes in the wound surface, and to discuss its mechanism. METHODS Bilateral round skin wounds were made on the back of 15 rabbits. The three wounds on one side of the back of each rabbit were treated with arnebia root oils, while the three wounds on the other side were treated with vaseline in order to promote the wound healing. The histomorphology and ultrastructure under electron microscopy of the wounds, and the rate of wound healing were examined at different time. Western blotting assay was used to detect the expression of bFGF in the wound surface. RESULTS The healing rate of the arnebia root oils-treated wounds was evidently higher than that of the vaseline-treated wounds (P<0.05). The quantities of fibroblast, collagen and capillary in the arnebia root oils-treated wounds were much more than those in the vaseline-treated wounds, and the expression of endogenous bFGF in the arnebia root oils-treated wounds was enhanced obviously as compared with that in the vaseline-treated wounds in different period of wound healing. There existed a parallel correlation between the expression level of bFGF and the rate of wound healing. CONCLUSION The promoting effect of arnebia root oils on wound healing may be related to increasing the expression level of basic fibroblast growth factor in the skin wound.