Abstract: The extraction yield, characteristics, component and contents of the extracts obtained separately through steam distillation, solvent extraction and two-step extraction from fresh or dried aril of Torreya grandis were studied. The yield of the extracts from fresh aril of Torreya grandis was higher than that from dried aril of Torreya grandis. The total yield of the extracts obtained by two-step extraction was higher than that obtained by other two methods. The results of GC and GC-MS analyses indicated that: by steam distillation, the extracts from fresh aril of Torreya grandis, the yield of which was 5.54 %, mainly contain monoterpenoids, while that from dried aril of Torreya grandis, and the yield of which was 1.98 %, were composed of sesquiterpenoids. The yield of the extracts obtained by solvent extraction from fresh Torreya grandis (when toluene was used, it was 21.84 %, while hexane was 16.01 %) was higher than that obtained through steam distillation, and most components of the extracts were diterpenoids. The extracts from two-step extraction of fresh Torreya grandis consisted of two parts, i.e. essential oil, which was the same as that from steam distillation, and extracts, which were close to those obtained from solvent extraction, except the contents of some components. The two-step extraction method may be favorable for effective separation and valuable utilization for both essential oil and extracts.

Key words: aril of Torreya grandis, essential oil, extracts, extraction technique