Abstract: The technology of extracting flavonoids from Artemisia capillaries Thunb. was studied using technique of supercritical CO₂ extraction. The effects of extracting factors such as extracting pressure, temperature, flux of CO₂, time and cosolvent dosage, were studied using L₁₆(4⁵)orthogonol experiment. The type and pH value of cosolvent were studied emphatically. The flavonoid content of extracting liquid was determined by spectrophotometry using chromogenic reaction of NaNO₂-Al(NO₃)₃-NaOH with flavonoid. The study indicates that the technique of supercritical CO₂ fluid extraction is better than solvent extraction in respects of high extraction yield, high quality, and simple manipulation. The extracting yield of flavonoids is the highest at 600 mL 70% EtOH, pH value 9-10, pressure 30:MPa, 55℃, flux of CO₂ 20:L/h, 150min, and it is 3.875%.

Key words: supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, Artemisia capillaries Thunb., flavonoids