[Supercritical fluid extraction of beta-elemene under lower pressure]

A method has been developed for the extraction and analysis of the active component beta-elemene from Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae by supercritical fluid extraction with CO2 containing ethanol. The article discusses some factors such as pressure, temperature and modifier that affect the selectivity. Class-selective extraction has been performed by varying the pressure. beta-Elemene could almost be extracted completely at lower pressure (12.0 MPa) and its relative amount was raised from 4.8% under higher pressure to 8.0% for lower pressure.