Abstract: Alkaloids are the effective ingredients in many Chinese herbs. The extraction and purification technology is the key issue in alkaloid preparation. At present，the commonly used extraction technology includes decoction，circumfluence，maceration and percolation. The purification technology includes organic solvent extraction，adsorption chromatography，ion-exchange resin adsorption and macro-porous resin adsorption. New technologies such as ultrasound，microwave，supercritical fluid extraction，molecular imprinting and membrane separation technology are used to increase efficiency and save energy of the extraction and purification process. The methods and the application of new technologies in extracting and purifying alkaloids are reviewed. Moreover the prospect of alkaloid preparation is discussed.