Aim To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） on diabetic atherosclerosis in rats and the mechanism and protective effects of simvastatin.Methods SD rats were randomized into normal control group （n＝8）, normal intervention group （n＝8）, model group （n＝18） and model intervention group （n＝16）. Intervention groups were perfused with simvastatin at 20 mg/（kg·d）, and the control groups were given distilled water ［20 mL/（kg·d）］ instead. The diabetic atherosclerosis model was established by streptozotocin （STZ）＋vitamin D3 （VitD3）＋high-fat and high-cholesterol diet. The contents of fasting plasma glucose （FPG）, total cholesterol （TC）, triglyceride （TG）, low density lipoprotein （LDL）, high density lipoprotein （HDL）, fasting insulin （FINS） were detected, and insulin resistance homeostasis （HOMA-IR） was calculated. Plasma VEGF and plasma TGF-β1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression of VEGF on aortic was evaluated by immunohistochemical method. Results Compared with normal control group, TGF-β1 was significantly increased in intervention group （P<0.01）, and FPG, TC, TG, LDL, HDL, FINS, VEGF and TGF-β1 were significantly increased in model group （P<0.01, P<0.05）. Compared with model group, FPG, TC, TG, LDL, HDL and VEGF were significantly decreased （P<0.01, P<0.05）, and TGF-β1 was significantly higher in intervention group （P<0.01）. In correlation analysis, VEGF showed a negative correlation with body weight and FINS, and had a positive correlation with TC, TG, LDL, FPG and HOMA-IR. TGF-β1 showed a negative correlation with TC, LDL and FPG. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, FPG and TC were independent risk factors for plasma VEGF level. Conclusions VEGF and TGF-β1 may participate in the occurrence of diabetic atherosclerosis. Simvastatin can decrease the level of VEGF and increase the expression of TGF-β1, and has a significant protective effect on diabetic atherosclerosis.