Artemisinin and artemisinic acid were extracted from aerial parts of Artemisia annua by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with carbon dioxide modified with 3% (v/v) methanol. The quantitative determination of both compounds was carried out by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) coupled with an evaporative light scattering detector (SFC-ELSD). Results obtained by SFE-SFC-ELSD show that this method allows mild extraction conditions and quantitative determination without further purification of the plant extract. In all cases, artemisinin and artemisinic acid were extracted in a higher yield with supercritical carbon dioxide than with liquid-solid extraction. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.