Multilevel Analysis of Li Weiqing's Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Cough Based on Data Mining

doi:10.16458/j.cnki.1007-0893.2025.11.014

Abstract：Objective: To analyze the TCM medication rules of Professor Li Weiqing in treating cough based on the TCM auxiliary inheritance system. Methods: A total of 406 medical cases with cough as the main diagnosis or symptom treated by Professor Li Weiqing at Shenzhen Luohu District People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were selected as the study subjects. A database was established, and TCMACP V3.5 software was used to statistically analyze the distribution of four properties, five flavors, meridian tropism, frequency of use, and efficacy of the medicinal ingredients in prescriptions. The formulation rules, core herbs, and new prescription combinations were also analyzed. Results: A total of 489 prescriptions were collected, including 189 types of herbs, with a total usage frequency of 7806 times; warm natured drugs had the highest frequency of use, accounting for 55.70%; pungent and bitter herbs had higher frequencies of use, accounting for 39.94% and 35.40%, respectively; herbs that entered the lung and spleen meridians had higher usage frequencies, accounting for 32.98% and 15.51%, respectively; 30 herbs had a frequency of use ≥400 times, and 160 herbs had a frequency of use ≥200 times; the main effects were phlegm-resolving, cough-relieving, asthma-relieving, exterior-releasing, and tonifying kidney. There were 30 groups of herbal combinations with a frequency of use >150 times, and 11 core herbs were identified, including Prunus armeniaca seed, Paeonia lactiflora root, Xanthium fruit, Platycodon root, Farfarae flower, Scutellaria root, Magnolia bark, Bupleurum root, Cinnamomi ramulus, Schisandra fruit, and Ephedra herb. Five new prescription combinations were obtained through cluster analysis. Conclusion: Professor Li Weiqing selects herbs that are mostly warm in nature and pungent or bitter in taste, targeting the lung and spleen meridians, mainly using phlegm-resolving, cough-relieving, asthma-relieving, exterior-releasing, and tonifying herbs. There are 11 core herbs and 5 new prescription combinations, which have certain reference value for clinical practitioners.