Abstract: Astaxanthin shows a variety of biological activities and physiological functions. The astaxanthin extracted from natural sources,such as Haematococcus pluvialis,has extraordinary value and potential application. Compared with organic solvents,the excellent solubility,recyclability and designability of ionic liquids have received extensive attention in the extraction of bioactive molecular. This paper reviews the biological sources of astaxanthin,common extraction methods,the process and mechanism of extracting astaxanthin from natural resources in ionic liquid solvent system,which can provide a theoretical basis for the design of natural astaxanthin extraction process with simple and environmentally friendly.