Objective: To investigate the medication laws of Professer LI Dian-gui in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Inheritance System (V2.5). Method: The prescriptions from Professer Li in treating CAG were collected and recorded into TCM inheritance system (V2.5). Medication laws and combination regularities were explored and analyzed with the application of data mining methods such as association rules

and clustering algorithm. Result: The analysis showed that 120 prescriptions were involved in the study

and 40 herbs appeared for more than 15 times

mainly including Scutellariae Radix

Pinelliae Rhizoma

Bupleuri Radix

Bamboo Shavings. Most of them were bitter and pungent in flavor and cold in nature

mainly related to stomach

spleen and liver meridians. 22 key herbal combinations and 10 new prescriptions were discovered. Conclusion: With the help of TCM inheritance system

the main therapeutic principle of ‘Clearing Heat and Expelling Dampness

Resolving Turbidity and Removing Toxin’ was explored in the precriptions from Professer Li Dian-gui in treating CAG

and the comprehensive treatment network was established with the characteristics of eliminating dampness

blood stasis

stagnation

accumulation

heat and carbuncles. Drugs with characteristics of ‘acrid opening and bitter downbearing’ were preferred by Professer Li

and the thoughts of ‘resolving dampness by bland percolation’ and ‘transforming dampness with aroma’ were also highlighted

together with the application of insect

mineral and shell drugs. At last

what should not be forgotten was the principle of "creating exits for devils".