Objective: To investigate the effect of Chaihu Shugan decoction on the expression of voltage-gated potassium channel 4.2(Kv4.2) and Kv channel-interacting protein 1(KChIP1) in a rat model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy induced by pilocarpine. Method: Totally 80 SPF Wistar rats were injected with pilocarpine intraperitoneally

and those with spontaneous recurrent seizures after latent period were selected into the model. All of the modeled rats were randomly divided into five groups: model group

potassium channel agonist retigabine treatment group (12.5 mg·kg-1·d-1)

and high

medium and low-dose Chaihu Shugan decoction groups (2.5

5

10 g·kg-1)

with 10 rats in each group. Another 10 normal rats were included in the normal group and administrated with saline same as model group. All groups were treated for 8 weeks. To evaluate the effect on seizure frequencies

the behavior of the rats were continuously recorded by digital camera during the study. The expression of the voltage-gatedpotass iumchannel 4.2(Kv4.2) and KChIP1 in hippocampus and temporal lobe were detected through immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Result: After 8 weeks of treatment

retigabine group and Chaihu Shugan decoction groups (medium and high doses) showed significantly low seizure frequencies than model group (P<0.05). Compared with normal group

the expressions of the two proteins in model group reduced in hippocampus (P<0.05); retigabine group and Chaihu Shugan decoction group (medium and high doses) showed remarkably higher Kv4.2 expression (P<0.05)

and retigabine group was similar with Chaihu Shugan decoction low and high-dose groups. Conclusion: Chaihu Shugan decoction had a significant effect on Kv4.2 and KChIP1 in CA1 region of hippocampus and temporal lobe in rats with chronic temporal lobe epilepsy.