A fully automated flow system for drug-dissolution studies based on the sequential injection analysis (SIA) was described and used for monitoring dissolution profiles of Ergotamine Tartrate (ET) in pharmaceutical formulations. 50 mul of dissolution medium was taken for each measurement at a flow rate of 40 mul s(-1) and detected by fluorescence detector using lambda(ex)=236 nm (lambda(em)>/=390 nm). The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.03-0.61 mg l(-1) of ET (sufficient for the dissolution tests). Equation of the calibration curve was calculated giving the following values: F=117.7 c+0.80 (n=6); r=0.9998. Detection limit was 0.01 mg l(-1) of ET. The R.S.D. is less than 0.54 and 0.86% (n=10) when determining 0.61 and 0.03 mg l(-1) of ET in standard solution, respectively. The dissolution test of Bellaspon tablets (0.3 mg of ET in 1 tablet) was programmed for 20 min, with a continuous sampling rate of 120 h(-1) under conditions required by BP 1993.