To investigate the effect of different permeation enhancer on transdermal permeation of anemonin through human skin.The permeation experiments were performed using human skin on modified Franz diffusion cells in vitro. The concentrations of anemonin in receptor compartment at specified time points were determined by HPLC. The steady flux and the cumulative quantity of anemonin through skin were calculated.The flux of anemonin permeating through human skin from 30% ethanol, 50% ethanol solution and a combination of 3% laurocapm -5% polysorbate 20 and 30% ethanol -3 % laurocapm -5% polysorbate 20 of anemonin was (9.30 +/- 0.32), (18.56+/-0.58), (7.29+/-0.35), (13.77+/-0. 16) microg x cm(-2) x h(-1) and 7.9, 15.9, 6.2, 11.8 times higher than from saturated water solution respectively.Ethanol and laurocapm can remarkably improve the transdermal permeation of anemonin and the anemonin have the potential to be developed to new transdermal preparation.