Objective: To investigate the correlation between organic components and inorganic components by establishing fingerprints of organic components and profiles of inorganic components of flavonoids from Inulae Herba of different origins

and provide a preliminary basis for comprehensive quality control of Inulae Herba. Method: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to set up fingerprints of organic compounds

and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed to set up profiles of inorganic elements. Then grey relational analysis was applied to discuss their relationship. Result: We obtained 18 common fingerprint peaks from the fingerprints of organic compounds and 13 common characteristic elements from the profiles of inorganic components. The results of grey relational analysis showed that No.1 peak had the strongest correlation with K and Ca; No.2 and No.17 peaks had the strongest correlation with Na

Mg and Mn; No.4 and No.13 peaks had the strongest correlation with Zn; No.5 had the strongest correlation with Fe; and No.9 and No.11 peaks had the strongest correlation with Al; with correlation coefficients all greater than 0.969 0. Conclusion: The correlation analysis was carried out on the basis of controlling the content of organic and inorganic elements

and there was a strong correlation between these two

indicating that the control of organic components can also partially react the contents of inorganic elements. All of these could provide a reference for the establishment of a comprehensive quality control method and systemic evaluation of Inulae Herba.