OBJECTIVE To analyze the relationship between the total material composition of different compatibility groups of Suanzaoren decoction and its sleep-improving effects using the entropy weight method combined with the grey correlation analysis method.

METHODS Based on the "Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi (sovereign, minister, assistant and courier)" compatibility theory, Suanzaoren decoction was taken as the research object. Thirteen different compatibility groups were established to determine the contents of total saponins, total flavonoids, total phenols, and total polysaccharides. Drosophila melanogaster was employed as the experimental model to evaluate the sleep-improving effects of different formulation groups of Suanzaoren decoction. An evaluation model was developed by integrating the entropy weight method with grey correlation analysis to systematically analyze these formulation combinations.

RESULTS The order of the effects of various components of Suanzaoren decoction on the sleep time and autonomous activity frequency of Drosophila melanogaster was: total phenols>total flavonoids>total saponins>total polysaccharides. Entropy weight analysis showed that total polysaccharide content had the highest weight among the five evaluation indicators. The grey correlation analysis results indicated that the full prescription group of Suanzaoren decoction exhibited the strongest sleep-improving effect, with the highest relative correlation degree of 0.82, demonstrating the optimal efficacy; the relative correlation degree of the sovereign-minister group was 0.74, ranking second in efficacy.

CONCLUSION Suanzaoren decoction exerts a significant effect on improving sleep, and the total phenolic and total polysaccharide contents are important indicators for evaluating the efficacy of Suanzaoren decoction. The sovereign herb plays the main role, while minister, assistant and courier herbs enhance the therapeutic effect of sovereign herb Ziziphi Spinosae Semen.