Drug administration

Claim 1

In a method of administering a drug which comprises applying to a human or animal mucosal surface for absorption across said mucosal surface as an active ingredient, a biologically-effective amount of a drug specific for the disorder or condition the improvement comprising applying the drug to the mucosal surface in admixture with a biocompatible, water-soluble, fusidic acid derivative having the formula: ##STR3## wherein a dashed line represents a single or a double bond; D represents a group having a molecular weight below about 600 daltons which renders an effective amount of said steroid water-soluble within a range of about pH 2 to about pH 12; E and G each represent OAc, OH, a lower alkyl group or a lower heteroalkyl group; W represents OAc or H; and Q, V and X each represent H or OH, said steroid containing from two to three polar functions, exclusive of the function represented by D, which biocompatible, water-soluble, fusidic acid derivative acts as an adjuvant being capable of increasing drug permeability of a human or animal body surface across which the drug is to be administered, in an amount effective to increase the permeability of said surface to said drug.