An Analysis of the Clinical Medication Rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Based on Data Mining

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the rules and characteristics of the clinical administration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using data mining methods.

Method: Medical cases of well-known contemporary TCM doctors treating PCOS were collected from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System, Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, and PubMed; the data were then characterized, and a standardized database of medical cases was built. This database was used to (1) count the frequency of syndrome types and the herbs used in medical cases by data mining methods and (2) analyze drug association rules and systematic clustering methods.

Results: A total of 330 papers were included, involving 382 patients and a total of 1,427 consultations. The most common syndrome type was kidney deficiency; sputum stasis was the core pathological product and causative factor. A total of 364 herbs were used. Among them, 22 herbs were used >300 times, including Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Tusizi (Semen Cuscutae), Fuling (Poria), Xiangfu (Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome), and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma). Additionally, 22 binomial associations were obtained from the analysis of association rules; five clustering formulae were obtained via the analysis of high-frequency drug clusters; and 27 core combinations were obtained by k-means clustering of formula.

Conclusion: In the treatment of PCOS, TCM is primarily employed as a combination approach involving tonifying the kidneys, strengthening the spleen, eliminating damp and dissolving phlegm, activating blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis. The core prescription is primarily a compound intervention based on the Cangfu Daotan pill, Liuwei Dihuang pill, and Taohong Siwu decoction.

Figure 1

The flow chart of literature retrieval.

Figure 2

A structural diagram of the association rules' loci within the syndrome set. The apriori algorithm was used to analyze the association rules of the main syndromes of PCOS, applying settings in which support = 0.7%, confidence = 46%, and elevation > 1.

Figure 3

A structural diagram of the associated rule sites in the drug sets. The apriori algorithm was used to analyze the association rules between prescriptions and herbs in the TCM treatment of PCOS, applying settings in which support = 12%, confidence = 65% and lift measure > 1.

Figure 4

Tree diagram of the high-frequency drug cluster analysis: the green hierarchical clustering represents prescription 1, including Duzhong (eucommiae cortex), Chuanduan (dipsaci radix), and Sangjisheng (taxilli herba). The red hierarchical clustering represents prescription 2, including Nvzhenzi (ligustri lucidi fructus), Gancao (glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma), Chuanxiong (chuanxiong rhizoma), Danggui (angelicae sinensis radix), Danshen (salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma), Chishao (paeoniae radix rubra), Shanzhuyu (corni fructus), Shanyao (dioscoreae rhizoma), Shudihuang (rehmanniae radix), Baishao (paeoniae radix alba), GouQizi (lycii fructus), Tusizi (semen cuscutae), Bajitian (morindae officinalis radix), and Yinyanghuo (epimedii folium). The blue hierarchical clustering represents prescription 3, including Niuxi (achyranthis bidentatae radix), Yimucao (leonuri herba), Zelan (eupatorium), Jixueteng (spatholobi caulis), Shengdihuang (rehmanniae radix), Taoren (persicae semen), and Honghua (carthami flos). The purple hierarchical clustering represents prescription 4, including Fuling (poria), Cangzhu (atractylodis rhizoma), Banxia (pinelliae rhizoma), Chenpi (citri reticulatae pericarpium), HuangQi (astragali radix), Dangshen (codonopsis radix), and Baizhu (atractylodis macrocephalae rhizoma). The yellow hierarchical clustering represents prescription 5, including Lujiaoshuang (cervi cornu degelatinatum), Zishiying (flourite fluoritum), Huangjing (polygonati rhizoma), Guizhi (cinnamomi ramulus), Ezhu (curcumae rhizoma), Rougui (cinnamomi cassiae cortex), Yiyiren (coicis semen), Shichangpu (acori tatarinowii rhizoma), Yujin (curcumae radix), Zhike (aurantii fructus), Dannanxing (arisaematis cum bile), Chaihu (Bupleurum chinense DC.), Shanzha (crataegi fructus), Xiangfu (nutgrass galingale rhizome), Roucongrong (Cistanche deserticola Ma), Fupenzi (rubi fructus), Zaojiaoci (gleditsia sinensis lam), Lulutong (fructus liquidambaris), Mudanpi (moutan cortex), and Zexie (alisma plantago-aquatica l).