Objective To summarize the core medicinal

composition law and medication characteristics of the ancient analgesic formulas through data mining in complex network and provide a reference for treating pain and new drug development.Methods Totally 2 746 formulas were selected from 14 typical formulary books during the Han to Jin-Yuan Dynasties.The analgesic formula database was established and the terms were standardized.The complex network of analgesic formulas was built according to the scale-free networks law of formula composition and the core medicinal and composition law was analyzed.Results The top 10 frequent single herbs and couplet medicines during the Han

Tang

Song

Jin and Yuan Dynasties were found according to the pain location such as abdominal pain

chest pain

heartache

headache

limb pain

lower back pain

hypochondriac pain

eyes pain

sore throat

body aches and tooth pain.Conclusion The core medicinal

composition law and medication characteristics of analgesic formulas during the Han

Tang

Song

Jin and Yuan Dynasties are found through data mining in complex network.This research plays an exemplary role in digging the medication and composition law of ancient analgesic formulas in future.