A rapid and sensitive reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of piroxicam in the rabbit plasma. After a treatment of plasma sample by liquid-liquid extraction, the drug was analyzed on an HPLC system with ultraviolet detection at 330 nm. HPLC was carried out using reversed-phase isocratic elution with a C18 column, a mobile phase of a mixture of acetonitril, doubly deionized water and acetic acid 43.74:56.00:0.26 v/v%) at a flow rate of 1.1 mL/min. The chromatograms showed good resolution and sensitivity and no interference of plasma. The calibration curve for the drug in plasma sample was linear over the concentration range of 0.01-2.0 ${mu}$g/mL. The intra- and inter-day assay accuracies of this method ranged from 86.82% to 108.33% of normal values and the precision did not exceed 13% of relative standard deviation. The plasma concentration of piroxicam decreased to below the quantifiable limit at 12 hr after the i.v. bolus administration to rabbits following dose of 0.375 mg/kg yielding a apparen t plasma half life of 1.38 hr. The transdermal route prolongs plasma levels of piroxicam. The bioavailability, calculated from the dose-adjusted ratio of the $AUC_{transdermal}$ to the $AUC_{i.v.}$, was 7.44%. The plasma concentration of piroxicam was detected by 48 hr after the transdermal administration of patch at a dose of 32 mg/kg. This method was suitable for cutaneous absorption studies of piroxicam in the rabbit after transdermal administration of different types of dosages of the drug.