The antiinflammatory and antirheumatic activities of a 3% ketoprofen gel (ID-GEL) were evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema method and adjuvant-induced arthritis method, respectively, after its transdermal administration of 50 mg on rat paws in reference to existing transdermal preparations containing 3% ketoprofen and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The % inhibition of carrageenan-induced edema by ID-GEL was 56.2-65.0%, close to the maximum inhibition obtainable with this model, while the % inhibition by existing 3% ketoprofen gels and other NSAID transdermal preparations were 33.8-47.7% and 18.7-29.2%, respectively. ID-GEL had a pronounced antirheumatic activity in both preventive and curative studies with adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats in respect with the inhibition of edema, arthritis score and weight gain, in reference to existing 3% ketoprofen gel.