A method for the determination of alpha-linolenic acid in perilla oil was developed using the reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light-scattering detector (RP-HPLC-ELSD). The perilla oil was saponified by 0.5 mol/L KOH-CH3OH solution for 20 min in a 60 degrees C water bath, then acidified by 6 mol/L HCl and finally the dissociative fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid, was extracted by anhydrous ether. After the ether was blown out by nitrogen, the residuals were dissolved by 10 mL methanol. The calibration curve was found to be linear over the range of 6.2 - 45.4 microg (r = 0.997 3, n = 5) and the detection limit was 0.11 microg (S/N = 3). The average recovery was 102% and their relative standard deviation (RSD) was 6.3% (n = 5). The content of alpha-linolenic acid in the determined perilla oil was 6.79% which is consistent with the previous report.