A B S T R A C T ObjectiveTo evaluate the action of ascorbic acid on the healing of malnourished rats' cutaneous wounds compared with normal weight rats. MethodsWe used 92 adult, male Wistar rats divided into four groups: 24 normal weight rats given only water and chow; 24 normal weight rats given vitamin C by gavage (340 mg/kg 12/12 hours); 22 malnourished rats given only water and chow; and 22 malnourished rats given vitamin C by gavage (340 mg/kg 12/12 hours). Malnutrition was induced by feeding the animals half of their daily energy requirement for 30 days. Two incisions were made, one sutured (healing by primary intention) and one left unsutured (healing by secondary intention). The rats were euthanized on the third, seventh, and fourteenth days of the experiment. ResultsThe following parameters differed significantly between the groups (p>0.05): granulation of the wound edge in the primary and secondary intention; extent of injuries on day 7 for primary intention and on day 3 for secondary intention; reepithelialization on day 7 for primary intention; fibrin-leukocyte scab on day 14 for 1 Article based on the master' s thesis of LMF MANZOLI intitled "Ação do ácido ascórbico na cicatrização de feridas cutâneas de ratos desnutridos". Universidade do Oeste Paulista; 2013.