The effect of some surfactants, such as tween 40, tween 80, span 80, and triethanolamine, on the absorption of lidocaine was studied using goldfish as a model of absorption kinetics. This model was believed that reciprocal overturn time and death time were the occurrence of biological effect versus drug absorption. The results were as follows; The threshold concentration of lidocaine was significantly reduced by the surfactants. Overturn time and death time of goldfish in the lidocaine solution were reduced by such surfactants as tween 40, tween 80, span 80 and triethanolamine, and more reduced with increasing concentration of surfactants except tween 40 and tween 80. The plots of reciprocal death time versus lidocaine concentration were linear relationship with a positive concentration intercept such as minimum effective concentration (0.2-0.8%). As results it is believed that these surfactants may form complexes with lidocaine or affect the goldfish membrane to make more permeable to lidocaine, which is adsorbed more rapidly.