A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) separation method with UV spectrophotometric detection has been developed for the determination of major components in leaves and caulomas of Schisandra chinensis Baill. The flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol) and (E)-cinnamic acid were analysed after extraction with alcohol from the dry plant material. Identification was based on retention times and UV spectra by comparison with commercial standards. Quercetin, kaempferol and (E)-cinnamic acid were separated within 12 min using acetonitrile-aqueous 0.05% ortho-phosphoric acid (40:60 v/v) mobile phase. The method has been successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of all three major components in several samples from different harvests using propylparaben as the internal standard.