OBJECTIVE： To study the effects of different processing methods and extraction solvents on the contents of major components in Polygonum multiflorum. METHODS： Decoction of black soybean and water were used to steam the raw P. multiflorum. Water， 50％ ethanol， 70％ ethanol and 90％ ethanol were used to extract the raw， black soybean steamed， water steamed and commercial processed P. multiflorum respectively. HPLC method was used to detect the contents of gallic acid， 2，3，5，4′ -tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside （THSG）， emodin and physcion. RESULTS： The contents of 4 major components in 4 kinds of extracts from 3 kinds of processed P. multiflorum were higher than raw sample； the content of gallic acid extracted with water was the highest； the content of THSG extracted with 90％ ethanol was the lowest； the contents of emodin and physcione extracted with 50％ and 70％ ethanol were the higher. CONCLUSIONS： Different processing methods and different extraction solvents had effect on the contents of the main compounds of P. multiflorum. The contents of each components in the processing products didn’t show certain regularity.