Salicylate-based protic ionic liquids (PILs) were synthesised, characterised and assessed in this study for potential antioxidant in drug design. The synthesised PILs were known as 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol salicylate (3DMAPS) and 3-diethylamino-1-propanol salicylate (3DEAPS). Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterise the synthesised PILs. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the synthesised PILs was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical assay. Both 3DMAPS and 3DEAPS showed a good antioxidant activity compared to parent acid (salicylic acid) as these two compounds could scavenge 20 of DPPH free radical at a concentration of 66.76 ± 0.09 μM and 27.27 ± 0.10 μM, respectively. © 2019, Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences. All rights reserved.