Herbal nature is a core component of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

and the theory of meridian tropism is an important part of the theory of TCM. The accuracy and pertinence of TCM can be improved by the medicine selection based on the meridian tropism. In order to find the association relationship and the distribution regularity of TCMs with different meridian tropism in the phylogenetic tree

and provide a basis for the interpretation and evaluation of TCM meridian tropism

2 435 herbs and related 3 044 species of organisms were screened in this study. Association rules mining method and phylogenetic tree constructing method were used to analyze the association relationship and the distribution regularity of the TCMs with different meridian tropism in the phylogenetic tree. The results showed after the frequency of the species of organisms

it turns out several results. In the species of the viridiplantae

there are at most 1 151 species which are attributed to the liver meridian. In the species of the Streptophyta

there are at most 1 109 species which are attributed to the liver meridian. In the species of the Liliopsida

there are at most 110 species which are attributed to the lung meridian.In the process of association rule mining

we can find that the association rules for the same meridian tropism were distributed at the same branch or nearby branch of the tree. For example

Txues were related with kidney

while the Adoxaceae and Rubia have a close relationship with liver. Moreover

colorectal is related with Punica. These results implied that there is a close relationship between the herbal nature and the affinity relationship. TCMs may have the same meridian tropism with the species of the same or similar affinity. This study provided a new index and reference for prediction and evaluation of the nature

selection and compatibility

clinical application of new TCMs.