ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effect of Qihuang Mingmu capsule (QHMM) on retina of diabetic mice and its impact on VEGF expression.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Forty KK/Upj-Ay mice were randomly divided into the model group and high, middle and low dose QHMM (8.32, 4.16, 2.08 g x kg(-1)) groups. Additional 10 C57BL/6 mice were selected as the control group. Mice were orally administered for three months. Their general appearance, fasting blood-glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were observed. Pathological changes of retina were observed by light microscope and electron microscope. The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), growth factor receptors-1 (Flt-1) and growth factor receptors-2 (Flk-1) were examined by Real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>QHMM could ameliorate the symptoms of diabetic mice to varying degrees, decrease FBG and HbA1c, alleviate pathological lesions of retina and decrease the expressions of VEGF, Flt-1, Flk-1 mRNA and protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QHMM has the protective effect on diabetic retinopathy of mice by inhibiting the expressions of VEGF, Flt-1 and Flk-1 and intervening VEGF-VEGFR signal transduction pathway.</p>