Objective To study the effect of sodium ferulate on improving pain perception in rats with neuropathic pain and its influence on p38MAPK signal pathway. Methods SD rats established CCI model, which were divided into sham operation group, model group, sodium ferulate group, and p38MAPK inhibition group. Observe the pain behavior, 5-HT, GABA concentration of spinal dorsal horn and the changes of p38MAPK, p-p38MAPK, CREB, and p-CREB protein in each group. Results The MWT and 5-HT, GABA concentrations in spinal dorsal horn in sodium ferulate group and p38MAPK inhibition group were lower than those in sham operation group but higher than those in model group. TWL was shorter than those in sham operation group but longer than those in model group and longer than those in model group, P-P38MAPK/p38MAPK and p-CREB / CREB were higher in sodium ferulate group and lower than those in model group (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indicators between sodium ferulate group and p38MAPK inhibition group (P＞0.05). Conclusion Sodium ferulate can inhibit neuropathic pain in rats, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of p38MAPK signal pathway activation.