Objective: To analyze the composing principles of prescriptions for bone metastases with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) inheritance system. Method: The prescriptions used for bone metastases from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) database were collected

the composing principles were analyzed using hierarchical clustering method in the TCM inheritance system after data entry. Result: Based on the analysis on 43 cases of prescriptions were mined from the database which come up with 29 core medicine pairs and eight new formulas. Seven of the eight new formulas contained tonic herbs. Psoraleae Fructus-Epimedii Folium-Cinnamomi Ramulus-Cyperi Rhizoma

Psoraleae Fructus-Drynariae Rhizoma-Cinnamomi Ramulusi-Cyperi Rhizoma

Psoraleae Fructus-Drynariae Rhizoma-Eucommiae Cortex-Poria were widely used Psoraleae Fructus

Drynariae Rhizoma

Epimedii Folium

which belonged to kidney channel

were in high frequency and showed a high-level association as a whole. Conclusion: TCM inheritance system provides an important method in exploring the composing principles for bone metastases through obtaining frequency of dominant empirical analysis as well as association of implicit empirical analysis. The basic therapeutic principle strengthening the body resistance and using kidney channel herbs provides available exploration and is beneficial for clinical use.