Background: Nowadays faster healing of surgical wounds is more challenging to researchers. The aim of the present study was to histopathological evaluate of the effect of rofecoxib, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, on healing of surgical wound in rats stomach. Materials and Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into three groups (control, positive control and experimental) of twenty animals each. A gastrotomy incision with the length of 1 cm was made in greater curvature of stomach in the rats, thereafter, sutured in 2 layers. Experimental group received rofecoxib (15 mg/kg) dissolved in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) 5% (10 mL/Kg) daily for 15 days through the gavage. Positive control and control groups received DMSO 5% (10 mL/Kg) and normal saline (10 mL/Kg), respectively, in the same manner. Histopathological studies and comparison of wound healing among the groups were carried out considering more effective agents on wound healing including proliferation of fibroblasts, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization and collagen organization in healing tissue. Significant differences among the groups were determined by one-way analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni post-test. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05.

Results: The numbers of fibroblasts, capillary buds and organized collagen content in healing site of experimental group were significantly more than positive control and control group (p<0.001). The size of epithelial gap in experimental group was significantly lesser than two other groups (p<0.001). There were not any significant statistical differences between the control and positive control groups from the viewpoint of the above parameters.

 Conclusion: The results showed that rofecoxib possesses a beneficial effect on healing of stomach surgical wounds in rats