OBJECTIVE To compare t he diff erences of the fingerprint and in vitro antioxidant activity between decoction pieces of Polygonum cuspidatum by integrated technology of habitat processing and processing （short for IPDP ）and traditional processing decoction pieces （short for TPDP ）. METHODS Ten batches of IPDP and ten batches of TPDP were prepared by integrated technology and traditional technology ，respectively. HPLC method was used to establish and compare the fingerprints of IPDP and TPDP. The scavenging rates of DPPH free radical ，ABTS free radical ，superoxide free radical and hydroxyl free radical and reducing activity of Fe 3+ were detected for IPDP and TPDP. In vitro antioxidant activities were compared between IPDP and TPDP. RESULTS There were 11 common peaks in the fingerprints of IPDP and TPDP ，among which 17 came from IPDP and 13 came from TPDP. The peak heights of peak 6（polydatin）and peak 15（emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside）in IPDP were significantly higher than those in the TPDP ，and the peak heights of peak 13（resveratrol），peak 17（emodin）and peak 19（physcion）in the TPDP were significantly higher than those in the IPDP. The results of in vitro antioxidant test showed that IPDP and TPDP had a certain scavenging capacity on DPPH free radical ，ABTS free radical ，superoxide free radical and hydroxyl free radicals ，and also had a certain reducing capacity on Fe 3+. CONCLUSIONS The integrated processing technology of P. cuspidatum has a good retention effect on the glycosides in P. cuspidatum ，and the in vitro antioxidant activity of IPDP is stronger than that of TPDP.