A　novel　molecular　imprinted　polymer　(MIP)　based　on　cellulose　is　fabricated　for　separation　of　matrine.　Cellulose　graft　copolymer　was　first　synthesized　from　cotton　linter　by　atom　transfer　radical　polymerization　in　ionic　liquid　with　the　acrylamide　as　monomer.　Then,　the　prepared　graft　copolymer　underwent　sulfomethylation　and　subsequent　crosslinking　in　the　matrine　solution.　Effects　of　the　parameters　on　the　reaction　degree　were　discussed,　and　the　structural,　component,　and　morphological　characterization　of　the　products　were　also　conducted.　The　ability　of　the　obtained　cellulose-based　MIP　(MIP-SPAM)　to　adsorb　matrine　was　evaluated　by　batch　adsorption.　Results　showed　that　the　sorption　process　was　pH　dependent,　spontaneous,　endothermic,　and　followed　the　Langmuir　adsorption　isotherm.　Kinetics　study　revealed　that　pseudo-second-order　was　closed　to　the　experimental　data　and　both　of　the　membrane　diffusion　and　intraparticle　diffusion　controlled　the　matrine　adsorption.　Moreover,　MIP-SPAM　possessed　higher　selective　sorption　property　for　matrine　compared　to　the　corresponding　nonimprinted　polymer.　Finally,　the　MIP-SPAM　could　be　repeatedly　used　for　five　times　without　any　significant　loss　in　the　initial　binding　affinity.　©　2019　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.　J.　Appl.　Polym.　Sci.　2020,　137,　48392.　©　2019　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.