AIM To observe the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the expression of IL-1β and iNOSmRNA inrats, with ulcerative colitis.METHODS Surgical samples of fresh human colonic mucosa was homogenized by adding appropriateamount of normal saline and centrifuged at 3000 r/min. Protein content of the supernatant was measuredand then mixed with Freund adjuvant, and injected into the plantae of the rats models, then into theplantae, dorsa, inguen and abdominal cavities (no Freund adjuvant for the last injection) on the 10th, 17th,24th and 31st day respectively. When serum titer of anti-colonic antibody has reached to a certain level,20 mL/L formalin and antigen fluid (no Freund adjuvant) were administered by enema to set up ulcerativecolitis rat mode. The animals were randomly divided into four groups: model control group (MC = 8),electroacupuncture group (EP=8), herbs partition moxibustion group (HPM= 8) and normal control group(NC=8). HPM: Mosa cones made of refined mugwort floss were placed on the medicinal pads (medicinalpad dispensing: Radix Aconiti Praeparata, cortex Cinnamomi, etc. ) for qihai (RN6) and tianshu (ST25,bilateral) and ignited. Two moxa cones were used for each acupuncture once a day and 14 times in all. EP:tisnshu (bilateral) and qihai were stimulated by the intermittent pulse with 2Hz frequency, 4mA intensity for20 minutes once a day and 14 times in all. After treatment, all rats were killed simultaneously. The spleenwas separated and distal colon was dissected. Total tissue RNA was isolated by the guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction method. RT-PCR technique was used to observe the expression of IL-1β andiNOSmRNA no Freund adjuvant.RESULTS IL-1β and iNOSmRNA were not detected in the spleen and colonic mucosa of NC rats, whilethey were significantly expressed in those of MC rats. IL-1β and iNOSmRNA were markedly lower in EF andHPM rats than those in MC rats. There were no significant difference in the levels of IL-1β and iNOSmRNAbetween EP and HPM rats. The amount of IL-1β and iNOSmRNA was nearly the same between the spleenand colon in different groups.CONCLUSION Acupuncture and moxibustion greatly inhibited the expression of IL-lβ and iNOSmRNA inthe ulcerative colitis rats.