OBJECTIVETo understand the effects of Chinese herbal medicine for stasis -removing (SR) and muscle-regenerating (MR), in different constitutions, on granulation tissue of ordinary wound.

METHODSShengji Huayu recipe, a common used Chinese recipe for SR & MR (SR-MR), and its disassembled recipe, Shengji recipe (MR) and Huayu recipe (SR), were applied resectively on the full-layer skin injured wound in 120 rats to observe their effects on collagen type I (C I ) and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in granulation tissue of wound at various stages of healing with immunohistochemistry technique and image-analysis system.

RESULTSThe expression of C I of the normal group was obviously delayed and the level of MMP-1 increased in a ladder type from day 3 to day 11. Shengji group could promote the secretion of C I and MMP-1 at the early stage and keep a high level from day 3 to day 11. The expression of MMP-1 of Huayu group maintained a high level on the first 7 days with significant difference as compared with the Shengji group (P < 0.05), and reduced from day 11 showing significant difference when compared with the normal group and Shengji group (all P < 0.05). Shengji Huayu low dose group has two periods of peak time in promoting the secretion of C I on day 7 and 15, and showed significant difference as compared with the normal group (P < 0.05); Shengji Huayu high dose group could reduce the MMP-1 on day 11 and obviously lower when compared with the normal group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine for SR-MR in promoting wound healing was probably through inhibiting the secretion of MMP-1 to increase the C I content in granulation tissue of wound.