Abstract:Objective:To study the correlation among phlegm syndrome,pulse manifestation,and medication in the medical cases from Wang Meng Ying Yi Xue Quan Shu (Wang Mengying's Case Records), and to summarize WANG Mengying's diagnostic and treatment characteristics for phlegm syndrome. Methods: Standard-compliant medical cases were screened from Wang Meng Ying Yi Xue Quan Shu, and the visits of included medical cases were numbered. Information such as pulse manifestations, syndromes, and medication was extracted. A database was established using Microsoft Excel 2021 software for frequency analysis of the data. The Apriori algorithm in SPSS Modeler 18 software was applied to perform association rule analysis on pulse manifestation-syndrome and medicationsyndrome pairs in the included medical cases, as well as pulse manifestation-medication and medication-pulse manifestation pairs in the medical cases related to phlegm syndrome. Results:A total of 444 medical cases,involving 503 visits, were included, with 151 cases (166 visits) related to phlegm syndrome, showing 21 types of pulse manifestations. The pulse manifestations with a frequency ≥30 were slippery pulse,wiry pulse,rapid pulse,and soft pulse (soggy pulse), among which slippery pulse and wiry pulse had the highest frequency of 102 (61.4%, 102/ 166), followed by rapid pulse and soft pulse (soggy pulse) . Among the pulse manifestations on the left and right hands,the majority of slippery pulse diagnoses were on the right hand,wiry pulse on the left hand,and rapid pulse on the left hand. A total of 169 Chinese medicinals related to phlegm syndrome were retrieved,with 15 medicinals having a frequency over 30; among them, there were 7 medicinals for dissolving phlegm and relieving cough and panting, 5 heat-clearing medicinals,1 resuscitate medicinals,and 2 supplementing medicinals. There was a strong correlation between phlegm syndrome and moderate pulse, floating pulse, overflow pulse, and slippery pulse, as well as with Chinese medicinals such as Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus,Bambusa Textilis Extract,and Armeniacae Semen Amarum. In the 151 medical cases of phlegm syndrome, slippery pulse was mainly associated with heat-clearing medicinals, phlegm-resolving medicinals, and urination-promoting and dampness percolating medicinals; wiry pulse was associated with heat-clearing medicinals, supplementing medicinals, and phlegm-resolving medicinals; and rapid pulse was associated with heat-clearing medicinals and supplementing medicinals. Medicinals such as Bambusae Caulis in Taeniam, Inulae Flos, and Trichosanthis Radix were strongly associated with overflow pulse and other pulse manifestations. Conclusion:WANG Mengying mainly diagnosed phlegm syndrome based on slippery pulse,moderate pulse,floating pulse,and overflow pulse. In treatment,he frequently used Bambusae Caulis in Taenias to clear lung heat and resolve phlegm, Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus, Pinelliae Rhizoma, and Armeniacae Semen Amarum to treat cold-phlegm accumulation in the chest,the combination of Coptidis Rhizoma and Gardeniae Fructus to treat phlegmheat disturbing the heart, fresh jellyfish and fresh Eleocharis tuberosa to clear phlegm-heat and liver meridian heat, and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Trichosanthis Radix to clear phlegm-heat and nourish yin fluid. WANG Mengying's diagnostic and treatment approach of pulse, medicinals, and syndrome for phlegm syndrome was clear, relying on pulse diagnosis and treating according to syndromes. His prescription and medication patterns still have important clinical reference value and guiding significance for the modern diagnosis and treatment of phlegm syndrome.