A pharmaceutical composition in the form of a solution, cream, lotion, spray, ointment, gel, aerosol, tablet, suppository or patch device for transdermal or transmucosal administration of alprazolam to a subject, which includes as a permeation enhancing mixture a fatty component in an amount of 0.1% to 20% by weight which is one of (a) a saturated fatty alcohol of formula CH.sub.3--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--CH.sub.2OH, a saturated fatty acid of formula CH.sub.3--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--CH.sub.2COOH, (b) an unsaturated fatty alcohol of formula CH.sub.3(C.sub.nH.sub.2(n-1))--OH, or (c) a fatty acid of formula CH.sub.3(C.sub.nH.sub.2(n-1))--COOH, wherein n is an integer of between 8 and 22; and a vehicle that includes a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkanol, a polyalcohol, and water.