Table 3. Ten most commonly used herbal formulas and single herbs for female patients with T2D.
| Formulas | Pin-yin name (shorten name) | Chinese name | Number of herbs | Composition (Pin-yin name (latin name; botanical plant name)) | User number | Percentage of user number | Frequency of prescription | Person-year | Average drug dose per day (g) | Average duration for prescription (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2068 | 100 | 96735 | 12847.3 | 12.2 | 7.2 | ||||
| Herbal formulaa | 2064 | 99.8 | 93106 | 12831.2 | 9.4 | 7.2 | ||||
| Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (JWXYS) | 加味逍遙散 | 10 | Dang-Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensi; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels), Bai-Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba; Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Fu-Ling (Poria; Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns), Bai-Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae; Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Chai-Hu (Radix Bupleuri; Bupleurum falcatum L.), Mu-Dan-Pi (Cortex Moutan; Moutan officinalis (L.) Lindl. & Paxton), Zhi-Zi (Fructus Gardeniae; Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Bo-He (Herba Menthae Haplocalycis; Mentha arvensis L.), Sheng-Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens; Zingiber officinale Roscoe) | 1095 | 52.9 | 8669 | 7016.2 | 4.4 | 8.7 | |
| Shu-Jing-Huo-Xue-Tang (SJHXT) | 舒經活血湯 | 17 | Dang-Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensi; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels), Bai-Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba; Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Chuan-Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong; Ligusticum sinense Oliv.), Di-Huang (Radix Rehmanniae; Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC.), Tao-Ren (Semen Persicae; Prunus persica (L.) Batsch), Bai-Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis; Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu-Ling (Poria; Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns), Niu-Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae; Achyranthes bidentata Blume), Wei-Ling-Xian (Radix Clematidis; Clematis chinensis Osbeck), Han-Fang-Ji (Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae; Stephania tetrandra S.Moore), Qiang-Huo (Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii; Notopterygium forbesii var. oviforme (Shan) H.T. Chang), Fang-Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae; Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk.), Long-Dan-Cao (Radix Gentianae; Gentiana lutea L.), Bai-Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae; Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Franch. & Sav.), Chen-Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae; Citrus reticulata Blanco), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Sheng-Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens; Zingiber officinale Roscoe) | 932 | 45.1 | 5137 | 6279.1 | 4 | 7.4 | |
| Ge-Gen-Tang (GGT) | 葛根湯 | 7 | Ge-Gen (Radix Puerariae; Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi), Ma-Huang (Herba Ephedrae; Ephedra vulgaris Rich.), Gui-Zhi (Cinnamomi ramulus; Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl), Bai-Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba; Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Sheng-Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens; Zingiber officinale Roscoe), Da-Zao (Fructus Jujube; Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 904 | 43.7 | 4658 | 5994.8 | 4.2 | 6.5 | |
| Shao-Yao-Gan-Cao-Tang (SYGCT) | 芍藥甘草湯 | 2 | Bai-Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba; Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 801 | 38.7 | 3738 | 5373.8 | 3 | 6.4 | |
| Chuan-Xiong-Cha-Tiao-San (CXCTS) | 川芎茶調散 | 10 | Bo-He (Herba Menthae Haplocalycis; Mentha arvensis L.), Chuan-Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong; Ligusticum sinense Oliv.), Bai-Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae; Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Franch. & Sav.), Qiang-Huo (Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii; Notopterygium forbesii var. oviforme (Shan) H.T. Chang), Xi-Xin (Herba cum Radix Asari; Asarum sieboldii Miq.), Xiang-Fu (Rhizoma Cyperi; Cyperus rotundus L.), Jing-Jie (Herba Schizonepetae; Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Benth.) Briq.), Fang-Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae; Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Lu-Cha (Folium Camelliae Sinensis; Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) | 786 | 38 | 4687 | 5323.6 | 4.3 | 6.2 | |
| Yin-Qiao-San (YQS) | 銀翹散 | 10 | Jin-Yin-Hua (Flos Lonicerae; Lonicera japonica Thunb.), Lian-Qiao (Fructus Forsythiae; Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl), Jie-Geng (Radix Platycodi; Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC.), Niu Bang Zi (Fructus Arctii; Arctium lappa L.), Bo-He (Herba Menthae Haplocalycis; Mentha arvensis L.), Dan-Dou-Chi (Semen Sojae Praeparatum; Glycine max (L.) Merr.), Dan-Zhu-Ye (Herba Lophatheri; Lophatherum gracile Brongn.), Jing-Jie (Herba Schizonepetae; Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Benth.) Briq.), Lu-Gen (Rhizoma Phragmitis; Phragmites communis Trin.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 733 | 35.4 | 3490 | 4969.8 | 3.8 | 5.9 | |
| Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang (XFZYT) | 血府逐瘀湯 | 11 | Tao-Ren (Semen Persicae; Prunus persica (L.) Batsch), Hong-Hua (Flos Carthami; Carthamus tinctorius L.), Dang-Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensi; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels), Chuan-Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong; Ligusticum sinense Oliv.), Chi-Shao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra; Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Chuan-Niu-Xi (Radix Cyathulae; Achyranthes bidentata Blume), Chai-Hu (Radix Bupleuri; Bupleurum falcatum L.), Jie-Geng (Radix Platycodi; Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC.), Zhi-Shi (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus; Citrus aurantium L.), Sheng-Di-Huang (Radix Rehmanniae; Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 716 | 34.6 | 3563 | 4771.1 | 3.6 | 8.2 | |
| Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan-Tang (MXSGT) | 麻杏石甘湯 | 4 | Ma-Huang (Herba Ephedrae; Ephedra sinica Stapf), Xing-Ren (Semen Armeniacae; Prunus armeniaca L.), Shi-Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 699 | 33.8 | 2819 | 4755.3 | 3.7 | 6 | |
| Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan (LWDHW) | 六味地黄丸 | 6 | Shu-Di-Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata; Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC.), Shan-Zhu-Yu (Fructus Corni; Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc.), Shan-Yao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae; Dioscorea opposita Thunb.), Fu-Ling (Poria; Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns), Mu-Dan-Pi (Cortex Moutan; Moutan officinalis (L.) Lindl. & Paxton), Ze-Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis; Alisma plantago-aquatica L.) | 688 | 33.3 | 3475 | 4662 | 4.4 | 8.1 | |
| Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang (SZRT) | 酸棗仁湯 | 5 | Suan-Zao-Ren (Semen Zizyphi Spinosae; Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), Fu-Ling (Poria; Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns), Zhi-Mu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae; Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge.), Gao-Ben (Rhizoma Ligustici; Ligusticum sinense Oliv.), Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) | 638 | 30.9 | 3486 | 4204.3 | 3.9 | 7.7 | |
| Single herbsa | 2031 | 98.2 | 77320 | 12617 | 4 | 7.3 | ||||
| Yan-Hu-Suo (YHS) | 延胡索 | 1 | Yan-Hu-Suo (Rhizoma Corydalis; Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H.Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T.Wang ex Z.Y.Su & C.Y.Wu) | 994 | 48.1 | 5999 | 6572.8 | 1.1 | 6.9 | |
| Ge-Gen (GG) | 葛根 | 1 | Ge-Gen (Radix Puerariae; Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi) | 871 | 42.1 | 5016 | 5737.6 | 1.3 | 7.3 | |
| Huang-Qin (HQin) | 黄芩 | 1 | Huang-Qin (Radix Scutellariae; Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) | 830 | 40.1 | 4604 | 5475.6 | 1.1 | 7 | |
| Dan-Shen (DS) | 丹參 | 1 | Dan-Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae; Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) | 814 | 39.4 | 5297 | 5270.5 | 1.2 | 8.9 | |
| Jie-Geng (JG) | 桔梗 | 1 | Jie-Geng (Radix Platycodi; Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC.) | 792 | 38.3 | 4359 | 5135.2 | 1 | 6.3 | |
| Bei-Mu (BM) | 貝母 | 1 | Bei-Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae; Fritillaria cirrhosa D.Don) | 765 | 37 | 4900 | 5038 | 1.1 | 6.7 | |
| Tian-Hua-Fen (THF) | 天花粉 | 1 | Tian-Hua-Fen (Radix Trichosanthis; Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim.) | 746 | 36.1 | 4173 | 4928.7 | 1.2 | 7.9 | |
| Niu-Xi (NX) | 牛膝 | 1 | Niu-Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae; Achyranthes bidentata Blume) | 659 | 31.9 | 3182 | 4482.9 | 1.1 | 7.7 | |
| Xiang-Fu (XF) | 香附 | 1 | Xiang-Fu (Rhizoma Cyperi; Cyperus rotundus L.) | 657 | 31.8 | 3327 | 4347.2 | 1 | 7.2 | |
| Huang-Qi (HQ) | 黃耆 | 1 | Huang-Qi (Radix Astragali; Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge) | 653 | 31.6 | 3219 | 4273.4 | 1.3 | 8.1 |
*Sorted by user number. T2D, type 2 diabetes.
aInformation are obtained from the websites (http://www.americandragon.com/index.htm; http://old.tcmwiki.com/; http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/front/index.html; http://www.ipni.org/; http://www.theplantlist.org/).