OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of the three-period treatment theory of bone fracture in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on VEGF and VEGF mRNA expression in the issues of outer periosteum, endosteum and bone marrow of rabbits, and to explore the rationality of phasing method in TCM in treating fracture.

METHODS3 mm bone defection were made at lower one third part of both radius in 140 male healthy rabbits. The rabbits were randomly divided into four groups, including three-period treatment group (TTG), one-period treatment group(OTG), positive medicine treatment group(PTG) and model control group (MCG). The rabbits in TG were treated with three-period treatment, rabbits in OTG were treated with one-period treatment, rabbits in PTG were fed by Guzhe-Cuoshangsan (a Chinese patent medicine which was used to treat bone fracture), rabbits in model control group were given no prescription or drug but distilled water as same dose as that of other groups. At day 3, 6, 9, 14, 28, 42 and 56, five rabbits from every group were randomly selected and were killed by aeroembolism. The left radiuses were taken out as the research object. Immunohistochemistry stain and in situ hybridization stain were performed to examinate the VEGF and VEGF mRNA expression in the outer periosteum, endosteum and bone marrow.

RESULTSThe VEGF and VEGF mRNA expression of all TCM treatment groups were enhanced in the outer periosteum, endosteum and bone marrow at different time points in fracture healing. The VEGF and VEGF mRNA expression in the three tissues of TTG had the tendency of higher than that of the other groups at the most time points after operation.

CONCLUSIONTreating fracture in stages has more predominant effect on the expression of VEGF and VEGF mRNA in the outer periosteum, endosteum and bone marrow than that of treating fracture with single prescription or drug.