Aim To observe the effects of Xiongshao capsule on blood vessel collagens during the course of vascular remodeling in rabbits with atherosclerosis. Methods Atherosclerosis model was established by injuring rabbits' abdominal aorta endothelium by balloon dilation with high fatty diet for 6 weeks.80 rabbits were randomly allocated into 8 groups,including normal control group,endothelium-simply-injuried group,endothelium injuried with high fatty diet 3 days group,2 weeks group and 6 weeks group,6 weeks with Probucol group,small dose of Xiongshao capsule group and large dose of Xiongshao capsule group.Elastic fibres staining and picrosirius red staining methods combined with computer image analysator were applied to determine the pathomorphological indexes,collagen contents and OD values. Results 3 days post injury in model group,there was no thickening change in endarterium,no stenosis in lumens;2 weeks post injury,compensation dilation appeared in lumens;but to 6 weeks,the diameters of lumens diminished obviously(p<0.01,compared with that in 2 weeks),proliferation index heightened especially more in the groups using large dose of Xiongshao capsule and Probucol.As to collagens in blood vessels,accumulation was not obvious in intima 2 weeks post injury in model group,but in tunica media and externa,the contents of type Ⅰcollagens increased compared with the control group,while the contents of type Ⅲcollagens decreased.In the course,type Ⅰcollagens played important roles,so leading to collagens total amount increasing and to the peak.6 weeks post injury,the extent of typeⅠ collagens increasing were less than that of typeⅢ collagens decreasing,collagens total amount didn't increase obviously;but collagens in intima gradually accumulated to peak.In the groups using Probucol and Xiongshao capsules,the contents of collagens in intima decreased gradually,in the group using large dose of Xiongshao capsule,the contents decreased more than the model group without any drugs;total amount of collagens in tunica media and externa also decreased,especially in the group using large dose of Xiongshao capsule. Conclusions Intima hyperplasia and pathological vascular remodeling led to the loss of lumens in the course of atherosclerosis,collagens played key roles in pathological vascular remodeling.Large dose of Xiongshao capsule could improve pathological vascular remodeling and inhibit intima hyperplasia by regulating the contents of collagens in blood vessels during the course of atherosclerosis,thus prevent lumens stenosis.