ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To optimize extraction technology of couplet medicinals of Astragalus membranaceus-Puerariae lobatae. METHODS With contents of puerarin，daidzin，calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside，daidzein，calycosin and formononetin and the yield of dry extract as index，the analytic hierarchy method was used to determine the weight coefficient of each index and calculate the comprehensive score. The effects of solid-liquid ratio， extraction times and extraction time on the comprehensive score were investigated by single factor test. The level of each factor was determined. By multi-index comprehensive scoring method， using comprehensive scores of above 7 indexes as indexes，the extraction technology of couplet medicinals of A. membranaceus-P. lobata was optimized by orthogonal experiment，and the validation tests were conducted. RESULTS The weight coefficient for the contents of puerarin，daidzin，calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside，daidzein，calycosin and formononetin and the yield of dry extract were respectively 0.304 7，0.065 2，0.185 8，0.185 8，0.107 8，0.107 8 and 0.042 7. The optimal extraction technology was determined as follows： solid-liquid of 1∶8（g/mL），extracting 3 times and for 1 h each time. RSD of each evaluation index in the validation test results was lower than 3.00% （n＝3）. CONCLUSIONS The optimized extraction technology for A. membranaceus-P. lobata is stable and feasible.