OBJECTIVE:To optimize the extraction technology of polysaccharides from Gossypium herbaceum L. by pectinase hydrolysis. METHODS:Polysaccharides were extracted from G. herbaceum L. by pectinase hydrolysis combined with traditional hot water extraction. With the extraction rate of polysaccharides as the evaluated index,single factor test and orthogonal design were applied to investigate the effects of 4 factors including enzymolysis temperature,enzymolysis time,the amount of enzyme and pH value on polysaccharides extraction rate,and verification tests were conducted. RESULTS:The optimal extraction technolo-gy was as follows as enzymolysis temperature of 40 ℃,enzymolysis time of 150 min,enzyme accounting for 2.0%,pH value for enzymolysis of 4.6. Under the above conditions,the average extraction rate of polysaccharides from G. herbaceum L. was 2.474%(RSD=3.34%,n=5). CONCLUSIONS:Pectinase hydrolysis is an effective method to extract polysaccharides from G. herbace-um L.. The optimal extraction technology is reasonable and feasible.