Objective To investigate the effect of endothelin (ET) and insulin like growth factor-Ⅰ (IGF-Ⅰ) on the development of restenosis after balloon angioplasty. Methods Using a catheter to induce the endothelium injury, we created a rat model of aortic endothelium injury. *"Pathological changes of the injuried aortic endothelium were assessed, and the plasma concentration of ET and IGF-Ⅰ were determined with radioimmunoassay. Results As demonstrated by pathological examination, aortic injury related restenosis was induced by the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Plasma concentrations of ET and IGF-Ⅰ increased significantly, and there was a significant correlation between ET and IGF-Ⅰ at different time points (r= 0.62 , P< 0.05 ). Conclusions ET and IGF-Ⅰ, as stimulators of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, might participate in the pathological process of restenosis after balloon angioplasty.