Abstract: Effects of cadmium stress on seedlings growth and active ingredients in Salvia miltiorrhiza were investigated. Results showed that cadmium stress inhibited seedlings growth and increased Cd²⁺ accumulation in both soil and seedlings. Moreover,both soluble protein content and membrane lipid peroxidation degree increased,while photosynthetic pigments content decreased under stress conditions. Compared with the control,in stressed S. miltiorrhiza leaves,the accumulation of six phenolic acid compounds showed different variant characteristics. Both caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid accumulation decreased significantly (p<0.05),while the content of protocatechuic acid increased (p>0.05),and the levels of tanshinol,protocatechuic aldehyde and salvianolic acid B decreased (p>0.05). However,the accumulations of the phenolic acids components and four tanshinone ingredients all decreased in stressed roots,and the variances of rosmarinic acid,dihydrotanshinone,tanshinone Ⅰ and cryptotanshinone were significant (p<0.05). Moreover,in the leaves of the stressed plant,the activities of PAL and TAT decreased significantly,but C4H and 4CL content increased significantly. These results showed that cadmium stress could reduce the production and quality of S. miltiorrhiza.