Objective: To analyze and summarize the prescription principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating intestinal flora alteration during 1995-2016 by using TCM Inheritance Support System

and make predictions of new formulations according to the composing principles. Method: Related papers on TCM prescriptions for treating intestinal flora alteration were collected from China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI)

and then TCM Inheritance Support System was used to establish the prescription database and analyze the composing principles of herbs in the prescriptions. Result: Totally 148 papers on the prescriptions for treating intestinal flora alteration were screened to achieve 32 commonly used herbs

7 common composing principles

16 core combinations of new prescriptions and 8 new prescriptions. Conclusion: Analysis shows that the drugs for intestinal flora alteration are mainly those for regulating spleen and stomach

eliminating dampness and alleviating water retention. The new prescriptions obtained by cluster analysis have similar treatment effect with the common prescriptions

such as Shenling Baizhu San

Buzhong Yiqitang

Jianpi Shenshitang

for intestinal flora alteration

but the new prescriptions

also have the herbs with regulating Qi and relieving liver functions to achieve the effects of regulating liver and Qi as well as tonifying the spleen and stomach. Compatibility combination conforms to the main clinical treatment ideas of invigorating Qi and tonifying spleen

excreting dampness and reducing diarrhea

helpful to guide clinical practice

and providing certain basis for clinical development and use of new drugs.