OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical status of guiding herbs for Chinese patent medicine included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia（part Ⅰ）

and to provide reference for rational drug use in clinic. METHODS: The number of guiding herbs for Chinese patent medicines in the four editions of Chinese Pharmacopoeia（part Ⅰ）（2005

2010

2015 and 2020 edition） was counted

and the number of types

efficacy

classification

types and use of guiding herbs were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The 2020 edition of pharmacopoeia recorded 64 varieties of Chinese patent medicines

which were classified into internal medicine

surgery

dermatology

gynecology

pediatrics

pharyngology

orthopedics

and ethnic medicine; according to the efficacy of Chinese patent medicine

they could be divided into prescriptions for relieving exterior disorder

purgative drugs prescriptions

heat-clearing agent

wind-dispelling agent

prescriptions for dispelling internal cold

prescriptions for regulating Qi flow

tonic prescription

prescriptions for inducing resuscitation and menstruation regulating agent. With the increase of the number of Chinese patent medicines included in the four edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia

the number of Chinese patent medicines using guiding herbs increased year by year without any reduction

covering 19 kinds of guiding herbs

including Chinese herbal medicine as Mentha hyplocalyx

Reed Rhizome

Zingiber officinale

etc.; grain products as millet

rice

etc.;flavoring as wine

yellow rice wine

vinegar

salt

tea

green onion

brown sugar

edible oil; fruits and vegetables as Lotus root juice; pear

jujube

etc. CONCLUSIONS: Guiding herbs are characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine prescription in China and have been paid much attention by generations of physicians; the proper compatibility of Chinese patent medicines with guiding herbs is conducive to the exertion of the efficacy and thus plays a role in enhancing the efficacy.