Abstract: AIMTo investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor (rhaFGF) after external use in rabbits. METHODS¹²⁵I-rhaFGF 180 U·cm^-2 was daubed to normal skin and scathed skin in rabbits. The radioactivity and paper chromatography were used to determine the ¹²⁵I-concentrations and distribution in plasma and organs at different times. RESULTSThe plasma concentration of ¹²⁵I-rhaFGF increased rapidily, and reach peak plasma level (73.03 pg·mL^-1) thirty minutes after administration. Then the concentration of ¹²⁵I-rhaFGF decreased quickly after thirty minutes, and approached to zero after three hours. Highest radioactivity accumulated in the skin, followed by kidney, lowest in the brain 96 h after administration. CONCLUSIONrhaFGF can not be absorbed from the normal skin, whereas a small amount of rhaFGF can be absorbed through scathed skin. The t_1/2 of rhaFGF in plasma was very short. Cumulative effect of rhaFGF was not observed. Absorbed rhaFGF showed high affinity to skin, and can be distributed to skin far from the site of administration.