The buccal absorption of flurbiprofen was evaluated in nine normal volunteers. Twenty milliliters of 2.5 mg/ml flurbiprofen solution (pH 8.03) was administered as a 1-min mouthwash or a 5-min mouthwash or swallowed. Serum was harvested from blood samples taken at specified times over a 12-hr period. Serum flurbiprofen concentration data indicate that the extent, but not the rate, of drug absorption was dependent upon the time of exposure of the flurbiprofen solution to the buccal membrane. Following the 1- and 5-min mouthwash treatments, 5.2 and 9.4% of the administered doses were absorbed, respectively.