An overview of supercritical fluid extraction in Chinese herbal medicine: From preparation to analysis

A review concerning the use of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in the preparation and analysis of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is presented. The literature review foresees the trend of increasing use of SFE in CHM preparation. The application examples in the preparation of useful ingredients and analysis of pesticide residues are discussed. The use of SFE CO₂ to replace traditional organic solvent is justified and promising. Consideration is given to the coupling of sub-critical H₂O and supercritical CO₂ to extract more compounds and to use the dual role of extracting useful ingredients and removing pesticide residues. Careful integration of laboratory SFE results into the design and implementation of factory production is beneficial in ensuring the successful use of SFE in CHM.