Data Mining Of The Law Of Compatibility Of Medicines In Banxia Xiexin Decoction

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a treasure house. And discovering and picking-up new patterns and knowledge from this treasure house is one of the aims of TCM research. The law of Compatibility of Medicines in prescriptions is the key point of TCM research. Discovering the theory can help understanding the diagnosis and treatment according to the basic theories of TCM and guiding clinical practice. Data Mining is the nontrivial process of identifying valid, novel, potentially useful, and ultimately understandable patterns in data. It is a kind of new information processing technique. It integrates many techniques and methods, such as artificial intelligence, pattern identification, fuzzy mathematics and statistics. Researchers considered that the researching mode and aim of the law of Compatibility of Medicines in prescriptions and data mining are the same. So using data mining techniques to investigate the law of Compatibility of Medicines in prescriptions, not only provide aim and reason for development of new TCM drug in clinical and experimental research and decrease the developing cycle, but also provide a valuable route and method for studying of ancient and modern prescriptions. So in this study, exploring research is made to investigate the law of Compatibility of Medicines in prescriptions, by using data mining techniques. PURPOSE Banxia Xiexin Decoction is a famous classic prescription in Shang Han Lun. It was made according to clear TCM theory and the medicines in it cooperate with each very well. In this study, the law of Compatibility of Medicines in Banxia Xiexin Decoction is investigated by data mining techniques, to find if there is general theory. OBJECT The data of medical case records related to Banxia Xiexin Decoction and data of effect of Banxia Xiexin Decoction on intestinal motility induced by atropine were selected as data set of data mining. METHOD Data mining techniques such as frequency statistics, association rule, factor analysis, correspondence analysis, fuzzy mathematics were used in mining of medical case records related to Banxia Xiexin Decoction and experimental data. In the aspects of changing of medicines and dosage, and the indications Banxia Xiexin Decoction, the law of Compatibility of Medicines in Banxia Xiexin Decoction is investigated. RESULTS 1 A software for inputing medical case records has been developed. 2 Law of indication of Banxia Xiexin Decoction has been discovered: (1) The main diseases that can be treated by Banxia Xiexin Decoction are mainly revolved the digestive system, such as feeling of fullness in the chest and upper abdomen, malaria, dysentery, vomiting, abdominal pain, disease due to latent summer-heat, damp-warm syndrome, cholera morbus, diarrhea and dyspagia. (2) As to TCM syndrome, Banxia Xiexin Decoction not only can treat syndrome of intermingled heat and cold,but also can treat syndrome of dampness-heat and syndrome of incoordination between liver and stomach. 3 The rules of adding or subtracting certain herbs in Banxia Xiexin Decoction were discovered: (1) zhishi is added to circulating Qi so that the dampness is eliminated. (2) When treating syndrome of dampness-heat, sweet herbs is prohibited or used by caution. (3) Pungent drugs for dispersion and bitter drugs for purgation often cooperate with resolving of dampness with aromatics and/or promoting diuresis with drugs of tasteless flavor. (4) To treat syndrome of incoordination between liver and stomach, Zhuru, Baishao, Banxia, Fuling, Huanglian, Chenpi, Houpo, Wuzhuyu, Ganjiang, Zhishi are often used. 4 The fuzzy induction model of the effect of different dose group of Banxia Xiexin Decoction on intestinal motility induced by atropine was set up. CONCLUSION It is showed in this study that besides syndrome of intermingled heat and cold,Banxia Xiexin Decoction can also treat syndrome of dampness-heat and syndrome of incoordinationbetween liver and stomach. Affected by custom, doctors always neglect the latter two indications. The procedure of adding Zhishi, and getting rid o...