Abstract: OBJECTIVE To establish the quality standard of Bitongxiao cataplasm. METHODS With the guide of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, research work for TLC identification and quantitative analysis was carried out. The TLC identification for Taxillus chinensis and Carthamus tinctorius was improved based on reference methods, quercetin and safflower medicinab materials were used as indexes and controls, respectively. The content of Salvia miltiorrhiza was determined by HPLC with salvianolic acid B as an indictor. RESULTS Taxillus chinensis could be identified with toluene(water saturation)-ethyl acetate-formic acid(5︰4︰1) as developing agent. Carthamus tinctorius could be identified by TLC method with ethyl acetate-formic acid-water-methanol(7︰2︰3︰0.4) as developing agent. The separation of salvianolic acid B had effective separation on the HPLC condition as followes:the Diamonsil C₁₈ column(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm)with the mobile phase containing methanol and acetonitrile(3:1) as the organic phase(A), 1.7% formic acid aqueous solution as the water phase(B), A:B=30%:70% of elution, the flow rate was 1.0 mL·min^-1, the temperature of column was 30℃, injection volume was 10 μL, and the detection wavelength was 286 nm. Methodological investigation accorded with the requirement of content determination. CONCLUSION The established quality standard of Bitongxiao cataplasm is suitable for the quality control.