Abstract: A composition for enhancing absorption of a pharmaceutical which may have poor oral bioavailability, which composition has surprisingly little cytotoxicity, is provided which is in the form of a liquid or semi-solid or solid containing an admixture (1) a mucoadhesive polymer which is a polyacrylic acid polymer, preferably Carbopol 971P, and (2) an absorption or permeation enhancer which preferably is L-?-lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC), and which composition is free of polysaccharides. A method for improving bioavailability of a drug which has poor absorption properties is also provided wherein the above bioadhesive composition is administered with said pharmaceutical to the mucosal membrane of the GI tract, nose, oral cavity, sublingual, buccal, and vaginal mucosa. A method for reducing the cytotoxic effect of an absorption enhancer such as LPC is also provided wherein a mucoadhesive polymer as described above is administered with the LPC to a patient in need of treatment.