ObjectiveTo study the effect of exogenous insulin on inducing angiogenesis and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of hindlimb ischemia of rats with diabetic. MethodsThe hindlimb ischemic model of diabetic rat was established by the ligation of femoral blood vessels of hindlimb in twenty healthy male SD rats and which were divided into model group (n=10) and treatment group (n=10). Another 10 normal rats were selected as control group. Then the expression of VEGF protein and capillary density of muscle tissues of rat hindlimb were detected by Western blot analysis and alkaline phosphatase (APK) stain method, respectively. ResultsThe differences of body weight and blood glucose level of rats before operation and on day 7 after operation were not significant in the control group (Pgt;0.05). The body weight of rat was significantly lower on day 7 after operation than that before operation in the model group (Plt;0.05), while the difference of blood glucose level of rats was not significant in the model group (Pgt;0.05). The body weight and blood glucose level of rat significantly decreased in the treatment group on day 7 after subcutaneous injection of insulin as compared with the level before operation (Plt;0.05). Compared with the control group, the body weight decreased and blood glucose level increased in the model group and treatment group, and the difference was significant (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). The body weight of rat in the treatment group was not different from that in the model group (Pgt;0.05), but the blood glucose level of rat on day 7 after operation in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group (Plt;0.05). The relative expression of VEGF protein of muscle tissues of ischemic hindlimbs in the treatment group (155.06±10.26) was significantly higher than that in the model group (94.30±11.23), Plt;0.05, while no expression was found in the control group. The capillary density of muscle tissues of right hindlimb in the control group was significantly higher than that in the model group or treatment group (Plt;0.05), and furthermore, which was higher in the treatment group than that in the model group (Plt;0.05). The difference of capillary density of muscle tissues of left hindlimb was not different among three groups (Pgt;0.05). The capillary density of muscle tissues of right hindlimb was not different from that of left hindlimb in the control group (Pgt;0.05) and which was significantly lower than that of left hindlimb in the model group or treatment group (Plt;0.05). ConclusionInsulin may increase the expression of VEGF protein in ischemic muscle tissue of diabetic rats and protect the ischemic muscle.