Abstract: An oral-delivery pharmaceutical composition for reducing the gastric irritation effect of an NSAID in the upper GI tract of a mammal. The composition includes (a) a mucosal protective amount of a pharmaceutically-acceptable hydrocolloid gum obtainable from higher plants, (b) a dispersion-enhancing amount of another excipient and (c) a therapeutically-effective amount of an NSAID. Also disclosed is a process for preparing the composition and a method for reducing the gastric irritation effect of the NSAID by administering the composition. Also, disclosed is a composition particularly useful for preparing an aqueous suspension.