Effect of lithium salts addition on the ionic liquid based extraction of essential oil from Farfarae Flos

- An ionic liquids (ILs) based essential oil extraction approach has been established.
- The effect of lithium chloride was also investigated.
- Both the yields and chemical compositions of essential oils were affected by the lithium salt.
- The oil yields may be related with the structure of cation.
- The chemical compositions of essential oil may be related with the anion.