Objective:To compare extracting effects between vacuum and atmospheric extraction processes of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix. Method: HPLC was employed to determine contents of matrine and oxymatrine with mobile phase of acetonitrile-ethanol-3% phosphoric acid(80: 10: 10) and detection wavelength at 220 nm.Taking composite score of total mass fraction and ratio of matrine and oxymatrine as index

based on single factor tests

orthogonal design was used to optimize vacuum and atmospheric extraction processes conditions of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix. Result: Optimal conventional extraction process was extracted thrice with 8 times the amount of water for 1 h of each time;total mass fraction and ratio of matrine and oxymatrine were 1.19% and 0.430

respectively.Optimum vacuum extraction process was extracted thrice with 8 times the amount of water at 70 ℃

1 h for each time;total mass fraction and ratio of matrine and oxymatrine were 1.18% and 0.079

respectively. Conclusion: Total mass fraction of matrine and oxymatrine has no significant difference by conventional and vacuum extraction process

but ratios of these two components have large differences.It shows that vacuum extraction can reduce toxicity of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix extracts

this optimized technology is stable

feasible and suitable for industrial production of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix.