Objective: To analyze the medication rules given by professor LI Ji-ren for treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

and provide reference for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment in active RA. Method: Prescriptions used for active RA in January 2013-December 2014 given by professor LI Ji-ren were collected. Then the data was entered into TCM inheritance support system to build a database

and drug frequency

drug combination

association rules and core combinations were obtained by using data mining methods such as association rule

to analyze professor LI Ji-ren's medication rules for the treatment of RA. Result: By analyzing 84 screened prescriptions based on TCM inheritance support system

high frequency herbs for the activity RA included the clearing heat and promoting diuresis herbs such as Scolopendra

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix

Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma;tonifying Qi and invigorating blood circulation herbs such as Astragall Radix

Angellcae Sinensis Radix

Spatholobi Caulis

Sargentodoxae Caulis

Olibanum

Myrrha;expelling wind

dredging collateral and pain reliving herbs such as Scorpio

Scolopendra;warming and activating meridian and pain relieving herbs such as Aconitti Radix Cocta

Aocniti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta

and Cinnamomi Ramulus. Meanwhile

35 core combinations and 9 new prescriptions were dig out. Conclusion: Professor LI Ji-ren is experienced in treatment of active RA. He believes that the pathogenic wind-cold damp-heat is of great significance in the activity of rheumatoid arthritis etiology. In the syndrome differentiation

the ‘cold

hot’ should be emphasized. Mildly regulating cold and heat

relieving both primary and secondary symptoms and protecting spleen and stomach shall act as the treatment principles

Qingluoyin as the main composition

with compatibility of cold and heat drugs based on the bias and complex transformation of wind-cold damp-heat. The herbs can be added or subtracted according to the symptoms

so that the cold herbs would not hurt Yangqi and hot herbs would not hurt Yin essence.