Objective To explore the medication rules of professor Song Aili in treating granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and the mechanism of core herbal pairs based on data mining and network pharmacology methods.

Methods From June 2021 to June 2022, the traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions taken by GLM patients treated by Professor Song Aili in the outpatient and inpatient departments of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were collected. Relevant medication rules were explored through the TCM inheritance auxiliary platform, and the mechanism of core herbal pairs was analyzed by network pharmacology.

Results A total of 248 traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions were included in this study, and the herbal pair of Jinyinhua (lonicerae japonicae flos) with Lianqiao (forsythiae fructus) was the core herbal pair used by professor Song Aili for treatment of this disease; the important active ingredients of the herbal pair of Jinyinhua with Lianqiao were quercetin, luteolin and wogonin; the key targets of the herbal pair of Jinyinhua with Lianqiao on GLM were tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), CXC chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and etc.; the main signal pathways regulated by active ingredients of herbal pair included interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and etc.

Conclusion Professor Song Aili mainly treat GLM from Yang syndrome based on syndrome differentiation. Removal of phlegm and blood stasis, permeation of sepsis and detoxification, and nourishment of qi and blood are regarded as the core therapeutic method, and Jinyinhua with Lianqiao as core herbal pair that may obtain therapeutic effect on GLM by regulating IL-17 signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway.