Objecive: To discuss the relationship between water-soluble sugar and cold-heat properties and further reveal correlations of four properties and material basis. Method: Water-soluble sugars were purified from 10 herbs with cold properties and 10 herbs with heat properties. After acetylation

GC/MS fingerprints of water-soluble sugars were determined and the results were analyzed by Fisher. Result: Discriminant function had been established by Fisher. The Fisher discriminant analysis could distinguish the cold and heat properties between 20 herbs that the back substitution in group was 100%. There was difference between the drugs with cold and heat properties in the GC/MS fingerprints

which corresponded to the different water-soluble sugars in the cold and heat herbs. Conclusion: The Fisher analysis could differentiate the herbs with cold and heat properties

and it was an effective statistical tool to study the relationship between the cold and heat properties by water-soluble sugar. It concludes that the water-soluble sugar is one of the material basis of four properties of herbs.