OBJECTIVE The optimum extraction conditions of evodiamine and rutaecarpine from herbs Evodia rutaecarpa(Juss.)Benth were studied by means of orthogonal test.METHODS The contents of evodiamine and rutaecarpine were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The extraction efficiency of extraction methods were compared. The solvent ethyl acetate and the ultrasonic method were better Then the orthogonal test L₉(3⁴) was arranged with three factors which were extraction time, extraction temperature and solvent times. The separation was performed on YWG-C₁₈(4.6mm×250mm,10μm) column with water-methanol acetonitrile (42∶20∶38)as mobile phase.The flow rate was 1.0 mL·min^-1,the column temperature was 30℃ and the wavelength of UV detector was 260 nm. RESULTS The solvent ethyl acetate and the method of ultrasonic were better.Water, acid and alkali were not appropriate to extract evodiamine and rutaecarpine. The optimum extraction conditions were decided to be at 30℃ for 40 min with 45 times solvent by ultrasonic. CONCLUSION The method had higher extraction efficiency as well as shorter time and lower temperature, it was a better method for extracting evodiamine and rutaecarpine from Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.)Benth.