Chemical composition of dried roots of wild and cultivated Codonopsis lanceolata has been investigated. General composition was similar in both Codonopsis lanceolata. Free sugars from the root were fructose, glucose and sucrose. The contents of the sugars were higher in the cultivated than in the wild. Maltose was detected only in the cultivated and its level was 0.05%. Free amino acids were consisted of 16 amino acids: lysine, histidine, arginine, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid. proline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine. No significant difference in the contents was found between the wild root and the cultivated. Free fatty acids were palmitate, linoleate and linolenate, and the contents of those acids were higher in the cultivated root than in the wild. The contents of crude saponin were 1.5% in the wild root and 1.4% in the cultivated, respectively.