A rapid method for the determination of Vinca alkaloids by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis with diode array detection has been developed. A group of 11 alkaloids (catharanthine, vinorelbine, anhydrovinblastine, vinflunine, vindoline, 4-O-deacetylvinorelbine, 4-O-deacetylvinflunine, vindesine, vinblastine, 4'-deoxy-20',20'-difluorovinblastine, vincristine) could be readily separated within 10 min. The compounds were separated using a capillary of 38 cm effective length, a running buffer composed of 50 mM ammonium acetate and 0.6 M acetic acid in a methanol-acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) mixture. A constant voltage of 25 kV with a ramp time of 1 min and a 344.7 x 10(3) Pa pressure, applied simultaneously to inlet and outlet buffer vials, were used during sample analysis. Five of these alkaloids were selected for optimization of the separation and for validation studies with respect to specificity, linearity, range, limits of quantification and detection and then accuracy. The feasibility of the assay was demonstrated by analyzing a commercial sample of vinorelbine (Navelbine, ampoule at 10 mg/ml of vinorelbine base). The results were compared with a high-performance liquid chromatography method.