Ionic liquids have been projected as the best solvent for extraction and separation of bioactive compounds from various origins. This review offers a collection of the published results, using ionic liquids for the extraction and purification of biomolecules. Ionic liquids have been studied as solvents, co-solvents and supported materials for separation of bioactive compounds. The ionic liquids-based extraction procedures were previously reported, such as ionic liquids-based solid-liquid extraction, liquid-liquid extraction and ionic liquids-modified materials are reviewed and compared to their performance. In this review, the main activities and future challenges are discussed, with major gaps identified using ionic liquids in extraction procedures and by advancing few steps to overcome these drawbacks. Abbreviation: (HSO 3 )C 4 MIM + : 1-(4-sulfonylbutyl)-3-methylimidazolium; (C 6 H 3 OCH 2 ) 2 im + : 1,3-dihexyloxymethylimidazolium; C n C 1 MIM + : 1-alkyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium; C n MIM +; Cn, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 : 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium; C n C 1 pyr + : 1-alkyl-3-methylpyridinium; C n im + : 1-alkylimidazolium; C n pyr + : 1-alkylpyridinium; aC n im + : 1-allyl-3-alkylimidazolium; C 7 H 7 MIM + : 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium; C 4 (C 1 C 1 C 1 Si)im + : 1-butyl-3-trimethylsilylimidazolium; (HOOC)C 2 MIM + : 1-carboxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium; (OH)C n MIM + : 1-hydroxyalkyl-3-methylimidazolium; (C 2 H 5 O) 3 SiC 3 MIM + : 1-methyl-3-(triethoxy)silypropyl imidazolium; (NH 2 )C 3 MIM + : 1-propylamine-3-methylimidazolium; C w H x N y O z + : Chirally functionalized methylimidazolium; P 10(3OH)(3OH)(3OH) + : Decyltris(3-hydrox- ypropyl) phosphonium; N 111(2OH) + : N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium (cholinium); N 00nn + : N,N-dialkylammonium; N 0nn(2OH) + : N,N-dialkyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium; C 10 C 10 C 1 gluc + : N,N-didecyl-N-methyl-d-glucaminium; N 11(2(O)1)0 + : N,N-dimethyl(2-methoxyethyl) ammonium; N 11(2OH)(C7H7) + : N-benzyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium; P 66614 + : Trihexyltetradecylph- osphonium; P i (444)1 + : Triisobutyl (methyl) phosphonium; P.minus: Polygonum minus; NPs: Nanoparticle; ZnO : Zinc oxide nanoparticles; Ni NPs: Nickel nanoparticles; MO: Methyl orange; UAE: Ultrasonic-assisted extraction; LLE: Liquid-liquid extraction; ABS: Aqueous biphasic system; Ace � : Acesulfamate; Ala � : alalinate; TMPP � : bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate; :; NTf 2 � : bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide; Br] �] : Bromide; Calc: calkanoate; Cl � : chloride; Bz � : benzoate; PF 6 � : hexafluorophosphate; HSO 4 � : hydrogenosulfate; OH � : hydroxide; I � : iodide; Lac � : lactate; NO 3 � : nitrate; Cl]O 4 ] � : perchlorate; Phe � : phenilalaninate; BF 4 � : tetrafluoroborate; SCN � : thiocyanate; C(CN) 3 � : tricyanomethanide; CF 3 CO 2 � : trifluoroacetate; CF 3 SO 3 � : trifluoromethanesulfonate; FAP � : tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate; ILs: Ionic liquids; Ag NPs: Silver nanoparticle; Cu NPs: Copper nanoparticle; MB: Methylene blue; MR: Methyl red; MAE: Microwave-assisted extraction; SLE: solid-liquid extraction. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis.