Objective： To observe the effect of moxibustion on the expressions of protein keratinocyte growth factor-1 （KGF-1）, KGF-2, and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in colon of rats with ulcerative colitis （UC）, and to explore the action mechanism of moxibustion in treating UC. Methods： SD rats were randomized into a normal group, a model group, a herbs-partitioned moxibustion group, and a sulfasalazine （SASP） group. The rats in the herbs-partitioned group were treated with herbs-partitioned moxibustion at Tianshu （ST 25） and Qihai （CV 6）, and those in the SASP group were treated by intragastric administration. After interventions, HE staining and light microscope were adopted in observing the histopathological changes of rat＇s colon, and immunohistochemical methods for detecting the expressions of KGF-1, KGF-2, and IL-6 proteins in rat＇s colon. Results： Compared with the model group, the rats＇ colons in the herbs-partitioned moxibustion group and the SASP group were histopathologically improved; compared with the normal group, the expressions of KGF-1, KGF-2, and IL-6 proteins increased significantly in the model group （P〈0.05）; after intervened by herbs-partitioned moxibustion and SASP respectively, the expressions of KGF-1, KGF-2, and IL-6 proteins in rat＇s colon were decreased markedly （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Both herbs-partitioned moxibustion and SASP can down-regulate the expressions of KGF-1, KGF-2, and IL-6 proteins in rat＇s colon, which might be one of the mechanisms of herbs-partitioned moxibustion and SASP in treating UC.
