Abstract: OBJECTIVE To research the regularity of drug use of patents in force of traditional Chinese herbal compounds in preventing and treating respiratory diseases, and provide a reference for the new Chinese drug development and evidence for the patent protection. METHODS With patents in force for 5 years of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in preventing and treating respiratory diseases as the study object, the frequency analysis was made for studying their core drug use, efficacy, channel tropism and drug compatibility. RESULTS There were 22 kinds of herbs such as Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix used frequently in patents in force of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in preventing and treating respiratory diseases. According to the classification of efficacy, most herbs belonged to heat-clearing drugs, antitussive and antiasthmatic drugs and restoring vital energy drugs, the mainly channel tropism were lung meridian and heart meridian. A majority of the high-frequency compatibility of herb-partners were originated from the ancient(classical) prescriptions. CONCLUSION The result embodys the formula composing trait of the traditional Chinese herbal compounds in preventing and treating respiratory diseases, and provide a new idea for the development of new Chinese drugs and patent protection.