Objective

2

To analyze the medication characteristics and combination rule of medicinals of Chinese herbal compound formulas in the treatment of chronic nephritis based on the China Patent Announcement.

Methods

2

We first collected the patents of Chinese herbal compound formulas for the treatment of chronic nephritis from China Patent Announcement Network. The use of herbal medicine was calculated， and Python was used to classify the functions， nature， flavors and channel entry of high-frequency herbs； the association rules of Chinese herbal compound formulas were analyzed based on R language； SPSS 22.0 software was used for high-frequency herbs cluster analysis； Cytoscape 3.9 was used to build a complex network and show the relevance of potential new formulas and herbs.

Results

2

A total of 249 patents of Chinese herbal compound formulas were included， involving 671 herbs. Top five high-frequency herbs included Huangqi （

Radix Astragali

， 112 times）， Fuling （

Poria

， 94 times）， Baizhu （

Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae

， 76 times）， Yimucao （

Herba Leonuri

， 63 times）， and Dangshen （

Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae

， 61 times）. The categories were mainly deficiency supplementing herbs （573 times）， urination promoting and dampness percolating herbs （248 times）， and blood invigorating and stasis dissolving herbs （237 times）. The nature and flavors were mainly cold （917 times）， warm （804 times）， sweet （1699 times） and bitter （986 times）， and channel entry was mostly liver （1226 times）， spleen （1063 times）， kidney （1045 times） and lung （1032 times）. High-frequency herbal cluster analysis obtained five herbal combinations， which were （1） Nyuzhenzi （

Fructus Ligustri Lucidi

）， Tusizi （

Semen Cuscutae

）， Yinyanghuo （

Herba Epimedii

）， Dahuang （

Radix et Rhizoma Rhei

）， Yiyiren （

Semen Coicis

）； （2） Honghua （

Flos Carthami

）， Taoren （

Semen Persicae

）， Niuxi （

Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae

）； （3） Chenpi （

Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae

）， Duzhong （

Cortex Eucommiae

）， Cheqianzi （

Semen Plantaginis

）； （4） Shanzhuyu （

Fructus Corni

）， Shiwei （

Folium Pyrrosiae

）； （5） Shengdihuang （

Rhizoma Radix Rehmanniae

）， Mudanpi （

Cortex Moutan

）. Commonly used pairs of herbs were Huangqi-fuling， Huangqi-baizhu， and Baizhu-fuling， and the three-herb combination was Huangqi-baizhu-fuling. The core herbs were Huangqi， Baizhu， Baimaogen （

Rhizoma Imperatae

）， Gancao （

Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae

）， Shanyao （

Rhizoma Dioscoreae

）， Zexie （

Rhizoma Alismatis

）， Danggui （

Radix Angelicae Sinensis

）， Yimucao， Dahuang， Cheqianzi.

Conclusion

2

The high-frequency herbs and commonly used herbal combinations of Chinese herbal compound formulas for the treatment of chronic nephritis in China Patent Announcement are centered on supplementing deficiency， draining dampness， and promoting blood circulation， which are basically consistent with the current understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic nephritis.