Full text can be accessed at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03189259Percutaneous absorption of dexamethasone in alcoholic solution in mice and rats was low. The permeability constant measured in mice was included between 1.05 and 1.39 × 10−5 cm/h. Beneath the area of application, a retention appeared in subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscles which explained local pharmacological action. In other tissues (plasma, liver, kidneys, adrenals and muscles), the level of corticoid remained very low. In contrast, after oral administration, dexamethasone was present everywhere, whith the highest concentration in the liver and kidneys. Key-wordsPercutaneous absorption-dexamethasone SH-mice-rat