Abstract:We used ultrasonic-assisted extraction(UAE) to extract the total flavonoids from Crataegus pinnatifida leaves, and used Box-Behnken design(BBD) combined with response surface methodology(RSM) to optimize extraction conditions. We determined the effects of four variables in terms of ratio of liquid/solid, temperature, ethanol concentration and time on the total flavonoids contents(TFC). The optimized extraction parameters obtained the highest total flavonoids yield were under the ratio of liquid/solid of 15, 40℃, and 40% of ethanol for 32 min. Under these conditions, the yield was 15.50 mg·g-1. By in vitro antioxidant assays, the extract exhibited a strong DPPH radical-scavenging in ability with IC50 value of 0.69 mg·mL-1. Compared with conventional maceration extraction(ME) and heat-refluxing extraction(HE) methods, UAE method showed remarkable advantages in terms of better antioxidant activities. Overall, the present results indicated that UAE was a suitable method for the extraction of total flavonoids from C.pinnatifida leaves and its extracts were potential antioxidant ingredients.