Objective To investigate the pathogenesis of epilepsy in acute and chronic phase

and the mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction（半夏白术天麻汤） on epilepsy intervention. Methods A total of 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control group

an acute phase model group

an acute phase treatment group

a chronic phase model group and a chronic phase treatment group

with 10 rats in each group. Rats were given lithium chloride pilocarpine to induce the rat model of epilepsy except the normal control group. The acute phase was 1 to 7 days after modeling and the chronic phase was 8 to 30 days. One day after the successful model establishment

the acute phase treatment group and the chronic phase treatment group were given a concentration of 1. 548 g/ml Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction 2 ml by gastrical perfusion. The acute phase treatment group was administered for 7 days

and the chronic phase treatment group was administered for 30 days. The other 3 groups were given 2 mL of distilled water for gavage

once a day. Five rats in the normal control group and 10 rats in the acute phase model group and the acute phase treatment group were observed for 7 days and the brain tissue was taken out. The remaining 5 rats in the normal control group and 10 in the chronic phase model group and the chronic phase treatment group were performed general behavioral observations for 30 days and brain tissue was then taken out. Analysis of miRNA microarray was used to detect miRNA expression profiles in hippocampal neurons of each group. Bioinformatics software predicted target gene and KEGG enrichment analysis

and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（PCR） was used to verify the expression of some differential genes in hippocampus of rats. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampal neurons. Results The results of general behavioral observation and HE staining showed that Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction had the effect of inhibiting the degree and frequency of epilepsy

and had the effect of alleviating and improving the damage of hippocampal neurons in the brain of rats with epilepsy. The pathological improvement in the chronic treatment group was better. Ten overlapping differential genes were obtained in the acute phase model group and the chronic phase model group compared with the normal control group. Three of the top ten pathways in the two model groups overlapped

namely glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis

long-term potentiation

and lysine degradation. Four overlapping miRNAs were selected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR for verification.Compared with the acute phase model group

there were no significant differences in the 4 overlapping miRNAs in the acute phase（P > 0. 05）. Compared with the chronic phase model group

rno-miR-146 a-5 p was down-regulated and rnomiR-218 a-5 p was up-regulated in the chronic phase（P < 0. 05）. Conclusion The biosynthesis

long-term potentiation effect and lysine degradation of glycosaminoglycan may be closely related to the occurrence and development of epilepsy. Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction may play an anti-epileptic effect by regulating related miRNAs and their target genes as well as signaling pathways

improving related biological functions

and has a better effect on the chronic phase.