Ginsenoside extraction from Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng) root by using ultrahigh pressure

A new method of ultrahigh pressure extraction (UPE) was used to extract the ginsenosides from Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng) root at room temperature. Several solvents, including water, ethanol, methanol, and n-butanol were used in the UPE. The ginsenosides were quantified by a HPLC equipped with UV–vis detector. The results showed that ethanol is the most efficient solvent among the used ones. Compared with other methods, i.e., Soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical CO2 extraction, the UPE has the highest extraction yield in the shortest time. The extraction yield of 0.861% ginsenoside-Rc in 2 min was achieved by the UPE, while the yields of 0.284% and 0.661% were obtained in several hours by supercritical CO2 extraction and the heat reflux extraction, respectively.