Objective : To establish the method of HPLC fingerprint and hierarchical cluster analysis for quality control of Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis. Method : About 27 samples from different sources were analyzed by HPLC. Acetonitrile and 0.385% ammonium acetate-acetic acid buffer were used as mobile phase by gradient eluting. Detection wavelength was set at 245 nm and column at 35 ℃. By the similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine (Version 2004A)

mean chromatogram was generated as the representative standard fingerprint. Result : Seventeen main marker peaks were selected in the standard fingerprint

and the similarity of 80% samples was over 0.87. The method is high sensitivity and good reproducibility and the Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis could be divided into five grades through the results of hierarchical cluster analysis. Conclusions :The fingerprint study and hierarchical cluster analysis method can be used for the quality control of Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis.