Applications of SFE on Natural Products

The applications of SFE on the natural products from 1995 was summrized. Supercritical fluid extraction(SFE) is a powerful method for the extraction of organic compounds from natural products, such as essential oils, alkaloids, terpenes, flavonoids and harden heart medicines. CO₂ is often applied as a supercritical fluid because it has lower critical temperature and pressure, Lower temperature can avoid decomposition of thermolabile compounds. Moreover CO₂ is nontoxic and available in a pure form at a reasonable cost. The solvent strength of a supercritical fluid increases with the increase of density. The selectivity of a supercritical fluid may be manipulated by the choice of solvent, by controlling of the temperature and pressure, or by the use of modifiers.