OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Ixeri sonhifolia injection on random skin flap survival in rats.

METHODSDorsal full-thickness skin flap model were harvested from 24 Sprague-Dawley rats in 2 to 3 months old. Twelve rats in experimental group were injected intraperitoneally with 5 ml/kg Ixeri sonhifolia injection immediately after the operation, the other rats in control group with an equal volume of saline. The rats were killed by cervical dislocation after 7 days' Ixeri sonhifolia injection. The area ratio of the survival tissue was measured at the 7th day,the tissue samples from proximal, middle, and distal portions were stained by HE and sectioned for histological and image analysis. VEGF was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSSeven days later, there was statistical significance between the percentage of the survival area of the flap between the experimental group (70.432 +/- 3.867)% and the control group (50.498 +/- 2.346)% (P < 0.05). In the middle portion, edema and infiltration of tissue in the experimental group were reduced than those of the control group, and new blood vessels increased in the experimental group (P < 0.05). A statistical significance of the expression of VEGF was detected between experimental group (4867.31 +/- 452.36) and control group (2387.45 +/- 768.46) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIxeri sonhifolia injection can promote the survival of random skin flap by increasing the quantity of capillary, reducing inflammatory infiltration of Europhiles and increasing the expression of VEGF, which promote a new approaching for the transpanting of the random flap research.