Abstract: Radix Actinidiae Chinensis from cultivar Miliang No. 1,, grown in west Hunan province was used as the raw material to extract triterpenoids by means of supercritical CO2. The effects of material growth period, material particle size entrainer type, entrainer amount and four extraction parameters on extraction rate of triterpenoids were investigated by one-factor-at-a-time method, and four extraction parameters were optimized by orthogonal array design method. The optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: material growth period 3 years, particle size 60 mesh, 70% (V/V) ethanol as entrainer, material-ethanol ratio 1:3 (g/mL), extraction temperature 40 ℃, extraction pressure 22 MPa, extraction time 3 h, and CO2 flow rate 300 kg/h. Under the optimal conditions, the extraction rate of triterpenoids was 1.994%.

Key words: Radix Actinidiae Chinensis, triterpenoids, supercritical CO2, entrainer, extraction process