The analysis of an antimalaric compound and its bioprecursor present in a herb (Artemisia annua L.) was carried out by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Capillary and packed columns coupled respectively with a flame ionization detector (FID) and an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) were used. Both methods have been optimized in order to separate artemisinin and artemisinic acid. In comparison to conventional gas and liquid chromatography, SFC methods can be used to determine directly the two compounds (Without degradation and/or derivatization) in the concentration range of interest. Results obtained with plant extracts (following a supercritical fluid extraction) by capillary SFC-FID were confirmed by GC-MS.