OBJECTIVE:To establish characteristic pattern of vinegar-processed product of Schisandra chinensis formula granules from different habitats, and to determine the contents of 5 components. METHODS:HPLC method was adopted. The determination was performed on Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water(gradient elution)at the flow rate of 1.0 m L/min. The column temperature was set at 30 °C, and detection wavelength was set at 220 nm. The sample size was 10 μL. Using schisandrin as reference, HPLC characteristic pattern of 19 batches of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules was drawn. The similarity evaluation was performed with Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatog. Fingerprints(2012 edition), and common peaks were confirmed. The contents of schisandrin, schisandrol, angeloylgomisin H, schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin were determined by same method. RESULTS:There were 8 common peaks in 19 batches of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules, and the similarities were all above 0.996;five of them were identified as schisandrin, schisandrol, angeloylgomisin H, schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin, resp. The linear range of schisandrin, schisandrol, angeloylgomisin H, schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin were 0.030-0.380, 0.016-0.195, 0.009-0.115, 0.006-0.078 and 0.011-0.138 μg(r>0.999), resp. RSDs of precision, stability(24 h)and reproducibility tests were all lower than 2%. Average recoveries were 99.84%, 99.54%, 99.28%, 100.03%, 100.27%(RSD<1.4%, n=9). Average contents of five components in 19 batches of samples were in the range of 0.15%-0.36%, 0.02%-0.16%, 0.02%-0.06%, 0.02%-0.08%and 0.08%-0.17%, resp.;among them, total contents of five components in sample S18 and S19 from Hebei province were relatively high, while those were relatively low in sample S16 and S17(RSD=42%);RSD of total content in other samples(S1-S15)was 12%, and was lower than that of Hebei province;total content of five components were higher in sample from Jilin province. CONCLUSIONS: Established characteristic pattern and method for the content determination are specific and reproducible, and can be used for the quality evaluation of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules. The total content fluctuation of vinegar-processed product of S. chinensis formula granules from Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces is lower than that in Hebei province, and the quality of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules from Jilin province is the best.