Objective: Polygonum multiflorum Thunberg (Polygonaceae) has been traditionally used as a tonic and the purgative in China and Korea. The genus Polygonum is a source of a wide range of phenolic compound, flavanoids, anthraquinones, stilbenes and tannins. In this study, three anthraquinones were isolated and quantitative determination of anthraquinones from P multiflorum has been developed for quality standardization. Methods : Three anthraquinone derivatives were isolated from a methanol extract of the radix of P. multiflorum by the chromatographic separation. Their structures were identified as emodin, physcion and ${omega}$-hydroxyemodin on the basis of spectral data (MS, lH-NMR, 13C-NMR) and chemical analysis. HPLC analysis was performed to determine the contents of emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, rhein and ${omega}$-hydroxyemodin in P. multiflorum from different specimens were collected from twenty Korean markets. Results: According to the results, the contents of emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, rhein and ${omega}$-hydroxyemodin were 0.145%, 0.434%, 0.016%, 0.026%, 0.030% by HPLC, respectively. Conclusions : In these results, we have determined the contents of emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, rhein and ${omega}$-hydroxyemodin in P. multiflorum, respectively. We hope that this study will contribute to the standardization and quality control of herbal medicine.