An　electrochemiluminescence　(ECL)　detection　system　equipped　with　an　electrically　heated　indium-tin-oxide　(ITO)　electrode　was　constructed.　The　heated　ITO　electrode　(HITOE)　coupled　the　advantages　of　a　heated　electrode　with　the　optical　transparency　property　of　ITO　glass.　Compared　with　the　conventional　heated　electrode,　the　HITOE　is　integrated　into　the　ECL　cell,　which　could　save　the　expensive　luminescent　reagent.　The　temperature　of　the　electrode　(T　e)　could　be　accurately　controlled　by　electrically　heating.　The　Ru(bpy)32+/TPrA　ECL　system　and　the　colchicine/Ru(bpy)　32+　ECL　system　were　used　to　evaluate　the　developed　ECL　detection　system.　The　higher　sensitivity　and　lower　RSD　of　ECL　detection　for　tri-n-propylamine　(TPrA)　and　colchicine　were　gained　by　moderately　heating　the　electrode.　The　proposed　method　has　been　successfully　utilized　to　the　assay　of　colchicine　in　a　spiked　human　serum　sample.　The　results　indicated　that　the　developed　ECL　detection　system　could　provide　high　sensitivity　and　excellent　reproducibility　for　analytical　practice.　©　2009　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.