A micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method was established for determination of paracetamol (PARA) and chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) in cold tablets. Separation of both drugs, as well as other seven cold remedy ingredients, was achieved in 25.5 min using a sodium dihydrogenphosphate-sodium tetraborate buffer (10 mM, pH 9.0) containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (50 mM) and acetonitrile (26% v/v). The effective capillary length of 50 cm, the separating voltage of 15 kV and the temperature of 30 degrees C was optimized. Detection was by a diode array detector at 214 nm. Method linearity was excellent (r(2)>0.999) over the concentration tested (10-250 microg/ml) with good precision and accuracy. Recoveries were good (>99%) with limits of detection of 0.4 and 0.5 microg/ml and limits of quantitation of 2 (%R.S.D.=3.1%) and 4 (%R.S.D.=2.4%) microg/ml, for PARA and CPM, respectively. The developed method was applied to the determination of ingredients in cold tablets and was found to be simple, rapid and efficient.