The effects of various excipients, i.e. sucrose, aluminium stearate, Cab-o-sil, hydrogenated castor oil and lecithin, either alone or in combination, on the bioavailability of sodium salicylate from suspension in fractionated coconut oil have been investigated using the rabbit as the test animal. In addition an in vitro drug release study and partition and rheological measurements have been carried out. Results of the study show that the bioavailability of sodium salicylate is not affected significantly by any of the excipients other than 20% w/v of sucrose and that this effect of sucrose is nullified by the inclusion of 1% w/v Cab-o-sil. Some correlation was observed between in vitro drug release data and the apparent viscosity of the oily vehicle. However, no correlations were detectable between in vivo and in vitro bioavailability parameters.