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Extraction and antioxidant activity of panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) were studied. PNS were extracted by enzymatic hydrolysis combined with ultrasonic treatment (EH & UT), and the antioxidant activity of the extracts was researched by pyrogallol autoxidation method and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The results showed that the optimum parameters of ultrasonic treatment were 1:15 ratio of material to liquid, 70% of ethanol concentration, 35 min of ultrasonic time, and the optimum conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis were as follows: enzymatic hydrolysis time – 60 min, enzymatic hydrolysis temperature – 40°C, dosage of cellulase – 2.2%, pH value – 4.0, under which the extraction rate of PNS reached 1.795%. In addition, the extracts of PNS can remove superoxide anion free radicals, and can reduce ferric iron to divalent ions, which indicated that the extracts of PNS have a certain antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]