The invention discloses a method for extracting madecassic acid. The method comprises the following steps: 1) smashing centella asiatica, refluxing and extracting with ethanol solution, filtering extract, recycling a solvent from filtrate, adding water at the temperature of 40-50 DEG C, dissolving, filtering, and dissolving filter residue in 50-60v% ethanol solution, so that crude extract is obtained; 2) purifying the crude extract with an XAD-9 macroporous resin column, eluting with acid liquor, and mixing effluent and pickling solution; and 3) regulating pH value of mixed solution to be neutral, filtering, purifying filtrate with an XAD-3 macroporous resin column, eluting with ethanol with the volume concentration of 30-40%, carrying out thin layer chromatography tracking detection, andcollecting ethanol eluate containing an asiatic acid ingredient; then eluting with ethanol with the volume concentration of 55-65%, carrying out thin layer chromatography tracking detection, collecting ethanol eluate containing madecassic acid, recycling ethanol from madecassic acid eluate, and drying, so that the madecassic acid is obtained. The extracted madecassic acid is high in purity, and yield is high.