Objective To explore the rule and characteristics of medicine for treating cough and asthma in children

by comparing property and flavor of herbs in adults’ and children’s cough and asthma prescriptions. Methods Taking Yibu Quanlu（ 医部全录） as the source of information

adults’ and children’s prescriptions to treat cough and asthma were included. Herbs of included prescriptions were extracted to establish database. Herbs’ property and flavor frequency were calculated. Children’s and adults’ medication property and flavor were compared. Results Totally

adults’ cough and asthma prescriptions were 340

including 2496 kinds of herbs. Children’s cough and asthma prescriptions were 204

including 1275 kinds of herbs. The frequency of warm

mild and cold property in adults’ medication was 43. 53%

29. 41% and 26. 46%

while those in children’ medication was 38. 23%

32. 35% and 29. 92% respectively. The using frequency of warm herbs in adults was higher than that in children; while the using frequency of cold herbs was lower（ P < 0. 05）. The frequency of herbs’ flavor in adults’ medication was pungent（ 31. 76%）

sweet（ 31. 18%）

bitter（ 26. 47%）

sour（ 7. 35%） and salty（ 2. 35%）

with sweet（ 32. 84%）

pungent（ 29. 90%）

bitter（ 29. 41%）

salty（ 3. 43%） and sour（ 2. 94%） in children. The using frequency of sour herbs in adults was higher than that in children（ P < 0. 05）. Conclusion In children’ s cough and asthma medication

warm and sour herbs were fewer

while cold herbs were more.