Condensation products of beta-cyclodextrin with propylene oxide or epichlorohydrin, which are amorphous and thus very soluble in water, were used to form complexes with testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol. Sublingual/buccal administration of tablets of these complexes led to effective absorption and entry of the hormones into the systemic circulation, followed by gradual elimination; rapid first-pass loss was avoided. beta-Cyclodextrin itself, its 2,6-dimethyl derivative, and a nonionic detergent did not enable effective buccal absorption. Absorption from the GI tract of hormones complexed with hydrophilic cyclodextrins was also less effective. Effective absorption of drugs from the oral cavity requires (a) that the drug and solubilizer form a complex of the inclusion type which dissolves completely and rapidly and (b) that the solubilizer neither enters nor damages oral tissue.