ObjectiveThe main purpose of the present study was to find out whether the penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHC) has the neuroprotective effect on seizureinduced hippocampal neuron damage.MethodsSixtyfour cases of 14dayold SpragueDawley rats were divided into three groups randomly: the normal saline control group, the hyperthermic seizure group, and the PHC treated group.Intraperitoneal injection of LPS combined with KA was used to establish rat model with FS.The rats were injected intraperitoneally with PHC at each time (15 minutes before modeled, every 12 hour after modeled).Then onset latency, duration and grade of FS in different groups were observed and compared.Then the histopathology changes in hippocampus were viewed by HE staining and electronmicroscope，the neuron apoptosis was detected by TdTmediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).ResultsLPS combined with KA of intraperitoneal injection can induce febrile seizure.In PHC treated group, the rats FS duration and FS grade were significantly lower than those in FS control group (P<0.05), although no significant gap was observed on FS onset latency between them.In FS control group, HEstaining pattern of hippocampal CA1 region showed lots of disordered neurons with confused polarity and vacuoles formed.While in PHC treated groups, the arrangement of neurons were regular, only a small number of neurons had changed.In FS group, at the 24 h point after seizure, TUNELpositive cell in hippocampus CA1 region increased most significantly comparing with PHC treated group (P<0.05).ConclusionThe penehyclidine hydrochloride can lighten the febrile seizureinduced hippocampal neuron damage in rats by inhibiting cell apoptosis.