EXTRACTION Meaning: Extraction involves steps in the separation of active pharmaceutical ingredients from plants and animals materials with the help of certain solvents like water and ethanol. It leads to the isolation of medicinal portions from inert compounds by dissolving in menstruum, following standard separation procedures. In medicine, it is a preparation of active chemicals or substances obtained from plants, animals and bacteria that are used as drugs. Extraction was invented by a German chemist Franz Ritter Von Soxhlet, who worked on issues of milk chemistry (1848-1926) and discovered a way to separate fats from milk solids. COMPONENTS IN EXTRACTION Extractions are possible due to four recognized components namely; • The analyte(s): theses are the substances under going analysis (plants, animal and bacteria materials) • The extraction device: these are equipments or apparatuses used in separation e.g soxhlet apparatus, filter paper, etc. • Menstruum: either polar, nonpolar or intermediate solvents that acts as mediums for extraction. • Standard Procedures: these are the step by step processes that are carried out for extraction.