ABSTRACT
This paper analyzes and summarizes the multifunctional regularity of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (rhubarb) in ancient and modern medicine based on text data mining approach. The 7 226 ancient prescriptions containing rhubarb in traditional Chinese medicine prescription database and 736 formulas of modern Chinese medicine prescriptions containing rhubarb in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition) and Yaozhi network were screened and summarized respectively. The proportion of rhubarb in prescriptions, preparation methods, compatibility drugs, efficacy and disease attributions were determined, and the relationships between rhubarb preparation methods and efficacy, disease attributions were also explored. Through data mining, in addition to direct oral administration and mostly being used for the treatment of internal medicine diseases, rhubarb was orally taken with water decoction in ancient times while wine-treated rhubarb now commonly used in pediatrics as well to remove accumulation with purgation and clear heat and purge fire. When rhubarb plays a role in cooling blood and detoxifying, it was often used externally or taken in the form of water decoction in the past. In modern times, rhubarb is usually taken in by alcohol extraction method, and is also applied in surgery. To eliminate blood stasis and remove obstruction in the channels, wine decoction or taken with wine was used primarily in ancient times while taken orally with water decoction is focused on today, mainly for gynecology. For eliminating dampness and removing jaundice, rhubarb was mostly used orally with water decoction in the past instead of wine decoction or wine and water co-decoction nowadays, and mainly used for treating pediatric diseases. In ancient prescriptions, rhubarb was often combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and now used with Scutellariae Radix. In the efficacy of eliminating blood stasis, compatibility drugs were focused on Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Cinnamomi Cortex, and Aucklandiae Radix in the past and used mostly with Paeoniae Radix and Toxicodendri Resina today. These findings provide reference for the accurate clinical use of rhubarb and the creation of related drugs.