摘要Animal medicines,which boast a lengthy history as treasures of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),frequently encounter safety challenges stemming from the accumulation of heavy metals and harmful elements,such as arsenic(As)[1].The toxicity of As differs by species,especially inorganic arsenic(iAs),and current methods for assessing herbal risks based on total arsenic(tAs)content are insufficient[2].To address this,studies have focused on As contamination in TCMs,especially leeches.Widely used for anticoagulant and other pharmacological activities,leeches are susceptible to water contamination and high As levels due to immature farming technology[3].The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze the distribution of tAs and toxic elements in leeches from multiple sources and batches.We used advanced analytical techniques(e.g.,liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(LC-ICPMS))to accurately identify As forms.This study aims to investigate the biological effects at the exposure point through in vitro experi-ments(simulating physiological conditions)and assess the po-tential clinical risks associated with iAs.