Formulae and compounds are two concepts with different connotations in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Formulae are the main form of using TCM based on the theory of drug properties

syndrome pathogenesis and therapeutic method

and characterized by the combination of TCMs

which fully reflects the close relationship between TCM and TCM herbs. But as the product of TCM modernization

compounds are characterized by the combination of effective parts or components of TCMs based on theory of active substances

disease pathology and pharmacology

which shows the relations between natural medicines and TCMs. There are essential differences in the connotation between formulae and compounds although their similarity in the use of TCMs. The confusion of the definitions of formulae and compounds makes theoretical difficulties for TCM formulary

clinical application base

compounds' efficacy evaluation and application based on syndrome differentiation. TCM formulae and compounds shall have their own research objectives and fields based on different subject backgrounds

connotations and functions. For one thing

modern research of formulae shall follow the experience background in the treatment based on syndrome or disease differentiation and the correlation between the disease syndrome and formulae

and focus on the correlation of drug compatibility and disease or syndrome

namely the regularity of the correlation between the disease syndrome and formulae and the biological connotation. Meanwhile

based on the formula chemistry and its complicated regulating effect

and the identification of formulae's chemical components

efforts shall be made to explore the compound-biological effect mode

which is academically significant in identifying TCM formulae's efficacy principle form a new perspective; For another

compound studies are not necessarily restricted to the experience background in TCM. It is of more practical significance to track the progress in systematic biology and synthetic biology

set up the biological effect evaluation system for the combination of TCM components and discover the new formulae containing TCM chemical fractions

components or ingredients for treating modern diseases by using TCM chemical analysis and the latest separation technology.