The application of ultrasonic extraction technology has become increasingly widespread and has been industrialised for the extraction of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Traditional TCM extraction methods suffer from several drawbacks, including high solvent consumption, long extraction times, high extraction temperatures, lengthy process routes, and low extraction efficiency. These issues lead to major problems in TCM products, such as high residual solvent content, low active ingredient concentration, difficulties in quality control, and insufficient therapeutic efficacy. In contrast, ultrasonic extraction technology for TCM can significantly reduce solvent consumption and shorten extraction time. It achieves high extraction yields at lower temperatures without damaging the active components of medicinal herbs. This technology is widely applicable for extracting various TCM constituents, such as saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, organic acids, and polysaccharides.

Currently, supercritical CO₂ extraction has become a key research focus in recent years due to its advantages of being green and non-polluting, having little to no solvent residue, preserving the activity of active ingredients, and yielding high-quality products. However, this technology also has significant shortcomings, such as high extraction pressure, long processing times, relatively low extraction rates, high usage of entrainers, and high energy consumption, which greatly limit its industrial-scale application. By integrating ultrasonic technology into supercritical fluid extraction, it is possible to markedly reduce the required system pressure and temperature, decrease the amount of entrainer needed, shorten the extraction time, and significantly improve the extraction yield.