This study examines and compares a number of extraction methods for the recovery of alkaloids from fruit of Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br. The methods studied include maceration, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and percolation. The method of MAE was found to be the most effective method capable of yielding 17.10 +/- 0.4 mg/g sanguinarine and 7.04 +/- 0. 14 mg/g chelerythrine with 5 min of extraction time. It was also found that the alkaloid content of the fruit shell was much greater than that of seed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.