A rapid and simple column liquid chromatographic method involving a column-switching system for the determination of spironolactone and its main metabolite canrenone in urine is described. Purification and concentration was performed using an Hypersil ODS-C18, 30 microns (20 x 2.1 mm I.D.) pre-column. The most polar urinary compounds were removed by washing the pre-column with water, and the analytes were subsequently switched to a LiChrospher RP C18, 5 microns (125 x 4 mm I.D.) analytical column and separated by means of an acetonitrile-water mobile-phase. Under the proposed conditions, the extraction efficiency was approximately 100% over the 0.5-10.0 micrograms/ml concentration range. The limits of detection were 20 ng/ml for both compounds. The proposed method has been applied to urine samples obtained after the oral administration of spironolactone.