Objective: To understand the content of metal elements in different species (planted and wild) of Coptis chinensis with
different growth years and the planting soil in Shizhu County of Chongqing. Methods: The flame atomic absorption spectrometry
(FAAS) was adopted to determine the contents of eight metal elements Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Ca, Cu, Cr, Cd in samples. Results: The content
of metal elements in Coptis chinensis was Ca>Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd>Cr. Comparison between the content of metal elements in Coptis
chinensis and the heavy metal limit index of Chinese medicinal materials in the national standard showed that the differences of Pb and
Cu were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared the content of metal elements in Coptis chinensis and the flower of Coptis chinensis,
the differences of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ca were statistically significant (P<0.05), the content of Mn and Zn was higher in Coptis chinensic, and
the content of Fe and Ca was higher in the flower of Coptis chinensis; compared the content of metal elements in Coptis chinensis and
planting soil, the differences of Fe, Zn, Pb, Ca, Cu were statistically significant (P<0.05), the content of Zn, Ca, and Cu was higher in
Coptis chinensis, and the content of Fe and Pb was higher in the planting soil; compared the content of metal elements in planted and
wild Coptis chinensis, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: The content of metal elements in Coptis
chinensis and the flower of Coptis chinensis,planted and wild Coptis chinensis are consistent. The content of metal elements in the
planting soil, Coptis chinensis and the flower of Coptis chinensis are affected by geological factors.