Aim To observe the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) in rat brain tissue in the border zone of the hematoma and explore the relationship among the expression of VEGF,MMP-9 and sodium aescinate after intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH). Methods 85 heath SD rats were divided randomly for: intracerebral hemorrhage model group(20),sodium aescinate treatment group A(20),sodium aescinate treatment group B(20),sham-operated group(20) and,normal contral group(5).Rat model of ICH was established by injection of physiological saline containing collagenase into the right caudate nucleus.Before and after interefered with sodium aescinate,the immunohistochemical methods were used to examine the expression of VEGF,MMP-9 in rat brain tissue at 6 h,24 h,48 h,and 96 h on ICH respectively. Results The amount of VEGF and MMP-9 were markedly increased at 6 h,respectively 12.67±1.50 and 9.27±1.28 and reached the hightest on 24～96 h in the border zone after ICH(p<0.01).There was a positive correlation with the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 after 6～96 h on ICH,coefficient correlation is 0.479(p<0.01).The expression of VEGF and MMP-9 were inhibited transparently in sodium aescinate treatment group A and sodium aescinate treatment group B,especially in the latter and there was a negative dose-effect relationship,coefficient of determination is 0.107 and 0.083. Conclusions 1.The upregulated expression of VEGF might induce the expression of MMP-9 in the border zone after ICH in rats.2.The antiencephaledema effects of sodium aescinate maybe related to change of the suppression of VEGF and MMP-9.