OBJECTIVE： To optimize the ultrasonic extraction and purification technology of total saponins from Marsdenia tenacissima， and to prepare purified total saponins from M. tenacissima. METHODS： Using the extraction rate of total saponins from M. tenacissima as index， ethanol volume fraction， solvent-solid ratio and extraction temperature as factors， ultrasonic extraction technology of total saponins from M. tenacissima was optimized by single factor test and Box-Behnken response surface design. Using the content of total saponins in elution， the effects of ethanol elution volume fraction on purification technology of total saponins by D101 type macroporous adsorption resin was investigated. RESULTS： The optimal ultrasonic extraction technology was as follows as ethanol volume fraction of 85％， solvent-solid ratio of 18.5 ∶ 1 （ml/g）， extraction temperature of 80 ℃. In verification test， the average extraction rate of total saponins from M. tenacissima was 4.80％ （RSD＝1.06％， n＝3）； it was close to predicted value 4.89％， and the deviation was 1.84％. The optimal purification technology was as follows as 45％ ethanol as eluant， 90％ ethanol for purification. Verification test showed that the average content of total saponins from M. tenacissima was 62.45％ （RSD＝0.88％， n＝3）. CONCLUSIONS： The optimized technology can be used for the extraction and purification of total saponins from M. tenacissima. The technology is stable and reliable.