A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of hydroxyfarrerol (IdB 1031) in biological samples was developed. IdB 1031 was first extracted by liquid-solid partition and the extracts were evaporated and analysed on a reversed-phase column under isocratic conditions, using either an electrochemical or a UV detector. The detection limit was ca. 5 ng/ml. Preliminary pharmacokinetic data showed that rats treated orally with 500 mg/kg had an average peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of 497 ng/ml after 2 h.