A novel method combining macroporous resin adsorption with microwave assisted desorption (MAD) for separation of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol type ginsenosides and 20(S)-protopanaxdiol type ginsenosides was developed. After all of the crude saponins in ginseng root extract (GRE) was adsorbed on macroporous adsorption resin, the separation of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol type and 20(S)-protopanaxdiol type ginsenosides from the resin can be completed using different solvents and power by MAD. The conditions of MAD were investigated by response surface methodology (RSM). The desorption efficiencies of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol type ginsenosides and 20(S)-protopanaxdiol type ginsenosides were both more than 90%, and that contents in the products reached 83% and 51%, respectively. Comparing with conventional methods such as ultrasonic assisted process (UAP) and reflux assisted process (RAP), this method has more merits such as using less solvents, less separation time and higher separation efficiency. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.