Objective: To observe the mechanism of “Compound Buffalo Horns Granules” in treating acute gouty arthritis.Methods Forty Wister rats were randomized into normal group, model group, Chinese medicine group and western medicine group.Model of acute gouty arthritis was induced with the injection of MSU into rats' ankle joint cavity.Normal group was injected with the same amount of 0.9%NaCl solution.Four hours after injection, buffalo horns group, colchicine group were given corresponding medicines for 3 days, while 0.9% NaCl was used to normal group and model group, once a day, with the course of 3 days.Rats were executed to take serum and ankle synovial tissue, and measured the ankle circumference.The activity of NF-kappa B was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).Cytokine protein and gene expressions including TNF-a, IL-8 in arthritic synovium of rats were determined respectively by Western blot assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results Compared with the normal group, the ankle swelling, activity of NF-kappa B, TNF-аlevels, and expression of IL-8 in synovial tissue of the model group were increased markedly (P<0.01).Compared with the model group, the ankle swelling was alleviated, activity of NF-kappa B, the expressions of TNF-а and IL-8 were inhibited in the Chinese medicine group after treated with “Compound Buffalo Horns Granules” (P<0.05, P<0.01).Conclusion “Compound Buffalo Horns Granules” is effective to treat acute gouty arthritis in rats.Its mechanism may be associated with the inhibitory effect on NF-kappa B activity and down-regulatory effect on TNF-α and IL-8 expression.