This thesis was devoted to the development of innovative oral delivery systems for two different molecules. In the first part, microparticles (MPs) based on xylan and Eudragit® S-100 were produced and used to encapsulate 5-aminosalicylic acid for colon delivery. Xylan was extracted from corn cobs and characterized in terms of its physicochemical, rheological and toxicological properties. The polymeric MPs were prepared by interfacial cross-linking polymerization and spray-drying and characterized for their morphology, mean size and distribution, thermal stability, crystallinity, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. MPs with suitable physical characteristics and satisfactory yields were prepared by both methods, although the spray-dried systems showed higher thermal stability. In general, spray-dried MPs would be preferable systems due to their thermal stability and absence of toxic agents used in their preparation. However, drug loading and release need to be optimized. In the second part of this thesis, oil-in-water microemulsions (O/W MEs) based on medium-chain triglycerides were formulated as drug carriers and solubility enhancers for amphotericin B (AmB). Phase diagrams were constructed using surfactant blends with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values between 9.7 and 14.4. The drug-free and drug-loaded MEs presented spherical non-aggregated droplets around 80 and 120 nm, respectively, and a low polydispersity index. The incorporation of AmB was high and depended on the volume fraction of the disperse phase. These MEs did not reduce the viability of J774.A1 macrophage-like cells for concentrations up to 25 µg/mL of AmB. Therefore, O/W MEs based on propylene glycol esters of caprylic acid may be considered as suitable delivery systems for AmB.
