Supercritical CO

2

(SC-CO

2

) extraction technology and ultrasonic technology were used to extract two active sex hormones

estradiol and progesterone

and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from antler velvet. The effects of SC-CO

2

extraction condition on the extraction yield and content of sex hormones

the ultrasonic extraction condition on the content of IGF-1 and the SC-CO

2

extraction condition on the activity remaining of IGF-1 were studied. The optimal conditions were obtained. The experimental results showed that

in presence of 75% ethanol as the co-solvent

the mean yield and content of estradiol and progesterone were 87.67 pg·g

-1

and 1224.10 pg·g

-1

12.38 ng·g

-1

and 354.06 ng·g

-1

respectively

with extraction pressure of 30 MPa

temperature of 35℃

extraction time of 30 min and CO

2

consumption of 15 L·g

-1

at the flow rate of 2.0 L·min

-1

. The highest content of IGF-1 was 7425.75 ng·g

-1

antler velvet residue

when the pH10 ammonia-ammonium chloride buffer solution was used as the solvent

the ratio of solvent to sample was 20/1 (volume/mass)

the extraction temperatur

e was 0-35℃

and the extraction time was 4×15 min. Under these conditions

93.68% activity remaining of IGF-1 in the residue was obtained

while little IGF-1 activity exists in traditional residue. The experimental results indicate that the technology of SC-CO

2

with co-solvent is of advantage for getting high content sexual hormones and keeping high activity of IGF-1 in the residue

which can not be achieved by traditional extraction methods.