A total of 525 batches of 12 traditional Chinese medicinal materials were collected from 11 provinces through the fourth national survey on Chinese materia medica resources. According to the determination method in the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia about Pb

Cd

As

Hg

Cu heavy metal elements and index components

the contents of heavy metal elements and index components in 525 batches of Chinese medicinal materials were tested. The correlation of heavy metals in different parts of the Chinese medicinal materials and the correlation between single index components and heavy metals were analyzed by SPSS 22.0.The results indicated that the four metal elements of Pb

As

Cu and Cd in roots and rhizomes herbs were significantly positively correlated with each other; the four metal elements of Pb

As

Cu and Hg in whole herbs were significantly positively correlated with each other; but only three metal elements were positively correlated with each other in the fruit type Chinese medicinal herbs represented by Ligustri Lucidi Fructus and leaf type medicinal herbs represented by Platycladi Cacumen; while Cu and Pb were negatively correlated with each other. The results indicated that the synergistic effect of heavy metal elements in roots and rhizomes and whole grasses were higher than that in fruits and leaves. There was a significant positive correlation between tanshinone and heavy metals As and Hg

which may be associated with the reaction between tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza and As ions to produce complex. The detailed mechanism of metal complexes still requires further study.