Network formulaology has the features of combining network science and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formulaology

with the help of modern technology

integrating macroTCM holistic thinking and modern molecular medicine microscopic biological perspective

through knowledge-associated network construction and analysis

to establish a systemicformula repository as well as disease and syndrome network

focusing on the integrated regulation mechanism of effective components in the TCM formulae

clarification of compatibility laws

new drug development and the analogous formulae networks. Material foundation research reveals the action mechanism of TCM formulae

so it is the guarantee of quality control and safety of TCM formulae

compatibility law is the core of TCM formulae

TCM formulae has advantages of integrated regulator in complex diseases treatment

so it is an important source to develop new Chinese herbal medicines. Research of analogous formulae can help to reveal the complex systems of TCM formulae and understand the core issues of compatibility law. The above four aspects are the focuses and difficulties in modernization research of TCM formulae

and also act as the important contents and directions of network formulaology. Because of the multi-component

multi-target and multi-channel complex mechanisms of TCM formulae

its scientific connotation has not been clarified yet. The development of network formulaology is beneficial to interpret the scientific connotation of TCM compounds

improve the efficacy of clinical medicine

and expand the ideas of new drugs. However

the scope ofresearch

related results and development directions of the network formulaology are lack of systematic teasing currently

not conducive to promoting modernization of formulaology. The research methods and progress on fundamental research

compatibility theory

new drug development

and analogous formulae research were reviewed in this paper

to clarify the prescription principles

compatibility law and clinical useof TCM formulaology.