Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of black pepper extracts were studied. The high pressure methods Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) (at 40, 50 and 60 degrees C and from 150 to 300 bar) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) with ethanol were compared to Smdilet (SOX) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The comparison considered process yield, extract composition and antioxidant activity, evaluated by DPPH (1,1diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) and ABTS [2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzotiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] methods, and total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteau procedure. Highest global yield (X-0 = 10.3 +/- 0.6%) and antioxidant potential was obtained by SOX extract with ethanol. The chemical profile was evaluated by CG-MS analysis. The main compound identified was piperine for the supercritical and ethanolic extracts. Despite the several researches concerning SFE of black pepper, the importance of this raw material justifies a broader understanding of this material, added to the novelty of PLE and ABTS procedures applied for black pepper material.