To examine the absorption mechanism of sodium guaiazulene-3-sulfonate (GAS) through the nasal and the intestinal membrane, the apparent absorption rate under the various experimental conditions was measured with the in situ perfusion method in rats, and the apparent partition coefficient of GAS was also determined. The absorption rate of GAS changed biphasically depending on the initial GAS concentration in the perfusate. At the lower concentration range (less than 1 mg/ml), the absorption rate of GAS decreased with the increased in the concentration, and the absorption was inhibited by HgCl2 and ouabain. However, at the higher concentration range (greater than 1 mg/ml), the absorption rate from the nasal mucosa increased markedly with the increase in the concentration, and ouabain had no effect. The apparent partition coefficient of GAS increased with the increase in the concentration of GAS, and GAS was found to be readily transferred to the organic phase by forming ion-pair complexes with the cation such as NH4+ ion. These results suggested that GAS is absorbed through the nasal membrane by at least two kinds of mechanisms: one is a carrier mediated system and the other is a hydrophobic interaction with the nasal mucosa which is increased by forming an ion-pair complex of GAS with cation.