An efficient microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique has been developed to recover chlorogenic acid from flower buds of Lonicera japonica Thunb. The yield of chlorogenic acid rapidly reached 6.14% within 5 min under the optimal MAE conditions, i.e. 50% ethanol as extraction solvent, 1:10 (w/v) of the solid/liquid ratio and 60 degrees C of extraction temperature. The MAE showed obvious advantages in terms of short duration and high efficiency to recover chlorogenic acid from raw plant materials in comparison with conventional heat-reflux extraction. The mechanism of the enhanced extraction by microwave assistance was discussed by observing cell destruction of plant material after MAE treatment by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the plant materials were significantly destroyed due to the cell rupture after MAE treatment. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.