Diclofenac sodium is found in different topical dosage forms which varied in their percuetanus absorption and hence in their therapeutic effect. In this study, three different formulations gel, emulgel and cream, containing 1% diclofenac sodium were developed in order to compare their permeation through rabbite skin using franz diffusion cells. They were subjected to various evalution tests such as physical appearance and rheological behavior. Menthol was added to the prepared formulations in a quanitity of about 1% , as permeation enhancer, and the enhancement in permeability was assessed. Carbopol gel, aqueous cream and emulgel showed acceptable results concerning color, spreadabilty, and homogenisity. The results showed that the cumulative amount of diclofenac sodium that permeated from the prepared formulations in this order gel > cream > emulgel. The addition of menthol to the formulation resulted in an increase in the amount of drug permeated. The study emphasized that optimization of the type of transdermal dosage forms and the addition of a peneteration enhancer can be resulted in an acceptable permeated amount of diclofenac sodium through the skin.