Objective: The herbal quality of Panax notoginseng may be related to the content of inorganic elements in planting soil. Method: To investigate the effect of inorganic elements in soil on the herbal quality of P.notoginseng and provide theory evidence for P.notoginseng plantation

we collected samples of P. notoginseng roots and rhizosphere soils from 16 sampling sites in Wenshan

Honghe

Yuxi

Qujing (Yunnan province). Result: The content of inorganic elements in samples of P. notoginseng roots and rhizosphere soils were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS)and the content of saponins in P. notoginseng roots were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The content of essential trace elements for human health in cultivated soils and medicinal herbals in Wenshan were higher than those in other 3 habitats regions

and the content of Cd in P. notoginseng cultivated soils and medicinal herbs in 4 habitats were all high. Most of the essential trace elements for human health (e.g. Al

Fe

Se) in medicinal herbals were correlated significantly positively with Mg and K in cultivated soils

and negatively with As and Hg in cultivated soils. There was no significant difference in the content of saponins in P. notoginseng roots among 4 habitats. The content of saponins in P. notoginseng roots in Wenshan and Qujing was the highest

in Honghe was the second and in Yuxi was the lowest. The content of saponins in P. notoginseng was related to the inorganic elements in medicinal herbs

but had no significant correlation with the inorganic elements in cultivated soils. Conclusion: The inorganic elements in cultivated soils influenced the herbals quality by affecting the content of inorganic elements in medicinal herbs. It was recommended to plant P. notoginseng in the soil with high content of Mg and K.