Les aliments fonctionnels connaissent aujourd’hui un intérêt grandissant. Pour leur formulation, l'encapsulation de bioactifs représente une voie intéressante et les protéines de lactosérum (PS) présentent de bonnes potentialités en tant qu'agents d’encapsulation. Des travaux antérieurs ont démontré que deux PS, la beta-lactoglobuline (BLG) et la lactoferrine (LF), peuvent former spontanément des co-assemblages par coacervation complexe, une technologie d'encapsulation connue. Cette thèse étudie la coacervation BLG-LF pour l'encapsulation d'un bioactif modèle, la vitamine B9. En testant une gamme de pH et de ratios molaires, les conditions optimales de coacervation B9-PS sont obtenues dans l'eau, à pH 5,5, avec un ratio molaire LF:B9:BLG de 1:5:10, permettant d’atteindre des rendements de coacervation de 45 à 55%, et d’encapsulation de B9 de 98 %.L’échelle de production des coacervats est augmentée avec succès du µL au L, avec des solutions protéiques de qualité commerciale et un mélangeur statique. Les rendements de coacervation et d’encapsulation sont conservés, avec l’encapsulation d’environ 4 mg de B9/g coacervats. Par ailleurs, les coacervats montrent un effet protecteur de la forme native de B9 vis-à-vis des UV, de l’oxydation et pendant la lyophilisation. Une étude in vivo chez le rat démontre une augmentation de la biodisponibilité de B9 lorsque administrée sous forme de coacervats. Les coacervats apparaissent stables lorsqu’ils sont resuspendus en gouttelettes dans du lait. Ce travail permet d’approfondir les connaissances sur la coacervation hétéroprotéique et s / Encapsulation of bioactives is relevant for the development of functional foods. Food proteins as encapsulating agents could match the objective of industries to develop “clean label” products. Moreover, whey proteins (WP) exhibit good potentialities as encapsulating agents. Previous works have demonstrated that the WPs, beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) and lactoferrin (LF), are able to spontaneously co-assemble by complex coacervation. This study explores the ability of BLG-LF coacervates as a potential carrier for the encapsulation of a model bioactive, vitamin B9. Throughout screening experiments, we determined the domains where B9-WP coacervation occured according to a tested range of pH, proteins and vitamin concentrations and molar ratios. Optimal conditions for coacervation were found in water, at pH 5.5, with LF:B9:BLG molar ratio of 1:5:10, affording coacervation yields of 45 to 55% and B9 encapsulation up to 98%.Coacervation was scaled-up from laboratory to bench scale using commercial-grade protein sources and static mixing. Final efficiencies were obtained with coacervates containing 4 mg of B9/g coacervates. Under degradative conditions (UV light irradiation, oxidation, freeze-drying), WP coacervates provided good protective properties limiting chemical degradation of native B9. In vivo oral administration of B9-WP coacervates in rats enhanced the plasmatic concentrations of B9 compared to unencapsulated B9. In addition, good physical stability over time was found after incorporated and resuspension of formed coacervates in milk. The combined results of this thesis p

Os sistemas de liberação de fármacos são parte integrante da investigação farmacêutica. Grande ênfase tem sido dada à utilização de polímeros hidrofílicos naturais como carreadores devido às vantagens inerentes a seu baixo custo, biocompatibilidade e segurança de uso. Os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram a preparação e avaliação de sistemas microparticulados a base de pectina e caseína e o estudo da liberação in vitro do aciclovir contido nas micropartículas. Esses sistemas visam uma liberação prolongada do fármaco aumentando sua biodisponibilidade oral. O efeito de parâmetros como pH, força iônica, viscosidade, proporção e concentração total de polímeros foi avaliado. A melhor condição para ocorrência da coacervação foi determinada por mobilidade eletroforética, rendimento do coacervado e microscopia ótica. A pectina e a caseína podem interagir formando complexos insolúveis. A formação do complexo coacervado foi espontânea e ocorreu em condições brandas no intervalo de pH em que os polímeros encontram-se carregados com cargas opostas. As dispersões foram secas em Spray dryer, resultando em partículas bastante pequenas (6µm) e homogêneas. Através da microscopia ótica foi possível observar que o fármaco se encontrava no interior das micropartículas. O pH (4,0-5,0) do meio influenciou decididamente a formação dos complexos coacervados, e a melhor relação mássica para o par pectina/caseína foi 1:1. Proporções superiores ou inferiores reduziram significativamente a extensão da coacervação. O aumento no teor de sólidos totais (4-8% p/v) bem como a adição de sal (0-120 mMol) não suprimiu a formação ou a estabilidade do sistema. Foram preparadas matrizes hidrofílicas contendo as micropartículas encapsuladas com aciclovir. O estudo de dissolução in vitro demonstrou que a liberação do aciclovir foi mais lenta nos sistemas matriciais e microparticulados do que a do fármaco livre. Entretanto, as matrizes apresentaram perfis de liberação sustentada mais adequados do que os sistemas microparticulados. / Drug delivery systems became an integral part of pharmaceutical research. The use of natural hydrophilic polymers as drug carriers has received considerable attention in the last few years, especially from the viewpoint of cost, environmental concerns and safety. The main purpose of this study was to report and discuss the preparation of a microparticulate system by mixing the negatively charged pectin and the amphoteric casein and also the in vitro evaluation of polymeric microparticulate systems loaded with acyclovir. Such drug delivery system was conceived to prolong the therapeutic activity of acyclovir and increase its oral biovailability.The influence of pH, total biopolymers concentration, viscosity of dispersions, pectin/casein ratio and ionic strength were reported. Zeta potential measurements and dry coacervate yield were used to determine the optimal conditions for complex coacervation and were supplemented by optical microscopy. Pectin/casein in aqueous mixture may interact and form insoluble complexes. The complex formation was spontaneous and occurs under mild conditions. The phenomenon of complex coacervation mainly occurs at a pH range when both polyelectrolytes carry opposite charges. Microparticulate preparations were spray dried and results showed that the microparticles obtained were always quite small, the diameters of 80% of the particles did not exceed 6m, and physicochemical characterization showed that the drug was homogeneously dispersed inside the microparticles. Pectin/casein ratio and pH range were found to mainly affect the microparticles formation and encapsulation efficiency. The complex coacervation was dependent on pH (4,0-5,0) and the optimum pectin/casein ratio was 1:1. Superior or inferior proportion significantly decreased the coacervate yield. Increasing in total biopolymer concentration (4-8% w/v) and salt addition (0-120 mMol) did not inhibit the formation and stability of pectin/casein systems. Hydrophilic matrices containing acyclovir loaded microparticles were also prepared. The in vitro dissolution profile of acyclovir from the microparticulate systems and matrices were slower than that for the free drug. However, the sustained release characteristic was more prominent in matrices than in microparticles formulations

Os sistemas de liberação de fármacos são parte integrante da investigação farmacêutica. Grande ênfase tem sido dada à utilização de polímeros hidrofílicos naturais como carreadores devido às vantagens inerentes a seu baixo custo, biocompatibilidade e segurança de uso. Os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram a preparação e avaliação de sistemas microparticulados a base de pectina e caseína e o estudo da liberação in vitro do aciclovir contido nas micropartículas. Esses sistemas visam uma liberação prolongada do fármaco aumentando sua biodisponibilidade oral. O efeito de parâmetros como pH, força iônica, viscosidade, proporção e concentração total de polímeros foi avaliado. A melhor condição para ocorrência da coacervação foi determinada por mobilidade eletroforética, rendimento do coacervado e microscopia ótica. A pectina e a caseína podem interagir formando complexos insolúveis. A formação do complexo coacervado foi espontânea e ocorreu em condições brandas no intervalo de pH em que os polímeros encontram-se carregados com cargas opostas. As dispersões foram secas em Spray dryer, resultando em partículas bastante pequenas (6µm) e homogêneas. Através da microscopia ótica foi possível observar que o fármaco se encontrava no interior das micropartículas. O pH (4,0-5,0) do meio influenciou decididamente a formação dos complexos coacervados, e a melhor relação mássica para o par pectina/caseína foi 1:1. Proporções superiores ou inferiores reduziram significativamente a extensão da coacervação. O aumento no teor de sólidos totais (4-8% p/v) bem como a adição de sal (0-120 mMol) não suprimiu a formação ou a estabilidade do sistema. Foram preparadas matrizes hidrofílicas contendo as micropartículas encapsuladas com aciclovir. O estudo de dissolução in vitro demonstrou que a liberação do aciclovir foi mais lenta nos sistemas matriciais e microparticulados do que a do fármaco livre. Entretanto, as matrizes apresentaram perfis de liberação sustentada mais adequados do que os sistemas microparticulados. / Drug delivery systems became an integral part of pharmaceutical research. The use of natural hydrophilic polymers as drug carriers has received considerable attention in the last few years, especially from the viewpoint of cost, environmental concerns and safety. The main purpose of this study was to report and discuss the preparation of a microparticulate system by mixing the negatively charged pectin and the amphoteric casein and also the in vitro evaluation of polymeric microparticulate systems loaded with acyclovir. Such drug delivery system was conceived to prolong the therapeutic activity of acyclovir and increase its oral biovailability.The influence of pH, total biopolymers concentration, viscosity of dispersions, pectin/casein ratio and ionic strength were reported. Zeta potential measurements and dry coacervate yield were used to determine the optimal conditions for complex coacervation and were supplemented by optical microscopy. Pectin/casein in aqueous mixture may interact and form insoluble complexes. The complex formation was spontaneous and occurs under mild conditions. The phenomenon of complex coacervation mainly occurs at a pH range when both polyelectrolytes carry opposite charges. Microparticulate preparations were spray dried and results showed that the microparticles obtained were always quite small, the diameters of 80% of the particles did not exceed 6m, and physicochemical characterization showed that the drug was homogeneously dispersed inside the microparticles. Pectin/casein ratio and pH range were found to mainly affect the microparticles formation and encapsulation efficiency. The complex coacervation was dependent on pH (4,0-5,0) and the optimum pectin/casein ratio was 1:1. Superior or inferior proportion significantly decreased the coacervate yield. Increasing in total biopolymer concentration (4-8% w/v) and salt addition (0-120 mMol) did not inhibit the formation and stability of pectin/casein systems. Hydrophilic matrices containing acyclovir loaded microparticles were also prepared. The in vitro dissolution profile of acyclovir from the microparticulate systems and matrices were slower than that for the free drug. However, the sustained release characteristic was more prominent in matrices than in microparticles formulations

Cette thèse présente une étude physico-chimique concernant le traitement d’eaux contaminées par des cations métalliques en utilisant la coacervation complexe et la régénération des réactifs. Cette recherche a été menée afin d’évaluer les bénéfices de la coacervation par rapport à l’approche traditionnelle de la combinaison de la complexion métallique par des polymères avec leur séparation par ultrafiltration. Après un premier chapitre consacré à l’état de l’art, le deuxième concerne l’étude de la combinaison de deux poly-électrolytes complémentaires, l’acide polyacrylique et la poly-éthylèneimine, pour optimiser l’élimination simultanée de cations mono et divalents en un nombre réduit d’étapes. L’ordre d’addition des réactifs s’est avéré primordial sur la qualité et l’aisance de la séparation. L’action de la séparation la plus efficace a été obtenue lorsque la poly-éthylèneimine vient parachever la neutralisation du complexe métal polyacrylate. Cette séparation peut alors être facilement obtenue par voie gravitaire, mais l’ultrafiltration des surnageants améliore significativement l’élimination d’espèces colloïdales du plomb et du cadmium. Le troisième chapitre présente la première partie du traitement des boues métalliques qui vise à favoriser le recyclage des métaux et la réutilisation des poly-électrolytes. Dans cette partie, la séparation des métaux a été étudié par électrolyse et par précipitation sélective à l’aide du sulfure de fer. L’électrolyse en milieu acide, s’est avérée la méthode la plus favorable au recyclage du métal et à la récupération des poly-électrolytes. Le dernier chapitre concerne la séparation des deux poly-électrolytes en vue de leur réutilisation comme réactif de traitement, car il a été démontré que le traitement des métaux dans les solutions contaminées est bien meilleur lorsque les deux poly-électrolytes sont ajoutés de manière espacée. Un traitement par précipitation sélective du polyacrylate de sodium avec l’acétone a été comparé avec la séparation par ultrafiltration. Tandis que le premier s’est avéré efficace, mais polluant, le second n’a pas permis de trouver des conditions favorables à la séparation des deux poly-électrolytes. / This thesis presents physicochemical study devoted to treatment of aqueous solutions contaminated by metal cations using complex coacervation and recovery of reactants. The aim of this research study was to assess the benefits of coacervation with respect to the usual approach that involves the combination of metal complexation with polymers and their removal from solutions by ultrafiltration. The first part was devoted to the state of the art, the second on reports the study concerning the combination of two complementary polyelectrolytes, the polyacrylic acid and polyethyleneimine, in order to optimize the simultaneous removal of mono and divalent cations in a reduced number of steps. The order of addition was of main importance on the quality and the easiness of separation. The most effective separation was obtained when the polyethyleneimine was used to end the charge neutralization of the metal polyacrylate complex. In this conditions, a gravy separation may be carried easily, but the ultrafiltration of supernatant solutions significantly improved the removal of Pb-and colloidal species colloidal species. The third chapter presents the first step of the sludge treatment which aims at encouraging the recycling of metals and reuse of polyelectrolytes. In this part, electrolysis and selective precipitation using iron sulphide were assessed to remove metals. The the most favorable method for metal recycling and polyelectrolyte reuse was electrolysis in moderately acid conditions. The last part reports a study for the separation of polyacrylic acid and poly ethyleneimine from the free metal sludges as it was shown that the removal of metal contamined solutions was much more effective when the polyelectrolytes are added separately. Polyelectrolytes separation was compared using acetone for the polyacrylate precipitation and ultrafiltration.Whereas the former method was effective, but not green, the latter was not found compatible with the selective separation of the polyelectrolytes

Ce travail porte sur l'étude de la microencapsulation d'huile de lin par coacervation complexe des protéines du lactosérum et de la gomme d'acacia. Il se focalise sur la coacervation des protéines du lactosérum et de la gomme d'acacia en milieu aqueux ainsi que sur les mécanismes impliqués dans la formation des microcapsules par coacervation complexe. La coacervation complexe est un phénomène de séparation de phase associative induit par des interactions électrostatiques entre deux polymères. Le couple de polymères le plus utilisé en coacervation complexe est le système gélatine/gomme d'acacia. Cependant, pour des raisons sanitaires et religieuses, l'utilisation de la gélatine devient controversée pour les applications alimentaires. Un substituant intéressant à la gélatine est constitué par les protéines du lactosérum ainsi que leur composant majoritaire, la bêta-lactoglobuline. L'étude de la composition du coacervat du système protéines du lactosérum/gomme d'acacia a été réalisée lors de ce travail. L'électrophorèse capillaire sur gel a été employée afin de quantifier la bêtalactoglobuline et l'alpha-lactalbumine dans le coacervat. L'influence du ratio protéine/polysaccharide et du pH sur la composition du coacervat a été étudiée. Bien que le procédé d'encapsulation par coacervation complexe soit connu depuis de nombreuses années, les mécanismes conduisant à la formation des microcapsules restent peu décrits. Le procédé d'encapsulation par coacervation complexe conduisant à la formation des microcapsules est composé de plusieurs étapes nécessitant chacune d'être examinée. L'étape d'émulsification a lieu en régime d'écoulement intermédiaire. La modélisation en régime turbulent rend compte des résultats expérimentaux et pourrait être utilisée pour une transposition d'échelle. Le suivi in situ du procédé d'encapsulation par coacervation complexe a été réalisé pour la première fois lors de cette étude. Il a été réalisé au moyen d'une sonde vidéo immergée dans le réacteur agité. Cette technique a permis de relever quatre étapes successives induites par l'abaissement du pH. Les influences des paramètres physico-chimiques (ratio protéine/polysaccharide et concentration totale en biopolymères) et des paramètres liés à l'étape de coacervation sur la formation des microcapsules ont aussi été étudiées au moyen de la sonde vidéo. Coacervation complexe, encapsulation, protéines du lactosérum, électrophorèse capillaire, suivi in situ, émulsification / This work deals with the study of linseed oil microencapsulation by complex coacervation of whey proteins and acacia gum. It focuses on the coacervation of whey proteins and acacia gum in aqueous medium as well as the mechanisms involved in the formation of microcapsules by complex coacervation. Complex coacervation is an associative phase separation phenomenon induced by electrostatic interactions between two polymers. The most widely used pair of polymers in complex coacervation is the system gelatin / acacia gum. However, the use of gelatin is a matter of controversy for food applications. An interesting alternative to gelatin consists of whey proteins and their major component, beta-lactoglobulin. An investigation of the composition of the coacervate system whey protein / acacia gum was carried out during this work. Capillary gel electrophoresis was used to quantify beta-lactoglobulin and alphalactalbumin in the coacervate. The influence of protein / polysaccharide ratio and pH on the composition of the coacervate was studied. Although the encapsulation process by complex coacervation has been known for many years, the mechanisms leading to the formation of microcapsules are not so much described. The encapsulation process by complex coacervation leading to the formation of microcapsules includes several stages that were examined. The emulsification step takes place in the intermediate flow regime. The modeling in turbulent regime accounted for experimental results and might be used for scaling-up the process. In situ monitoring of the encapsulation process by complex coacervation was performed for the first time in this study. It was carried out using a video probe immersed in a stirred reactor. This technique identified four successive steps induced by lowering the pH: the emulsification of the oil, the formation of the coacervate, the adsorption of the coacervate on the oil droplets, the formation of an encapsulation shell. The influence of physico-chemical parameters (protein / polysaccharide ratio and total concentration of biopolymers) and parameters related to the coacervation step on the formation of microcapsules were also studied by using the video probe

Coacervation between the milk proteins β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and Lactoferrin (LF) was studied as a model system for hetero-protein coacervation (HPC). Equilibria among BLG/LF complexes and the corresponding speciation were found to control coacervation, which can be quantitatively monitored by turbidimetry. Several methods were used to assess complexation as a function of LF : BLG (mol/mol) mixing ratio (r). Proton release, calculated from a shift in pH when LF is added to BLG, was used to identify regions of complexation. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to determine regions of complexation by relating complex size to stoichiometry. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to measure enthalpies of binding upon addition of LF to BLG. These results are used to show that coacervation is related to speciation, with the LF(BLG2)2 complex as the coacervating species.

A cysteine-containing elastin-like polypeptide (ELP2cys) was successfully synthesized and purified, and was shown to behave in a similar fashion to other well-characterized ELPs. Incorporating the ELP2cys as a crosslinking agent into a solution of sulphated hyaluronan (CMHA-S) not only decreased the gelation time of the solution but also increased the crosslinking density of the resultant hydrogel, in turn increasing both the resiliency and stiffness of the construct. Preliminary in vitro work involved culture of human disc cells, followed by their encapsulation within the hydrogel. Unfortunately the results were inconclusive, although it appeared as though the addition of ELP2cys to the matrix did not negatively affect the viability of the cells, as compared to hydrogels with CMHA-S only. This study showed that ELP2cys is a valuable addition to the family of recombinant elastin-like polypeptides, and shows promise as a crosslinking agent in the formation of hyaluronan hydrogels.

The development of small-diameter artificial blood vessels that mimic the properties of natural blood vessels has proven to be a clinical challenge. While autologous vessels are the standard, they can be difficult to obtain and require invasive surgeries. Synthetic materials have been successful in large diameter applications, but they have been unsuccessful in small-caliber environments due to a number of factors including thrombus formation, intimal hyperplasia, and infection. Intimal hyperplasia, of particular interest in this study, involves the build up of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the intimal layer of the artery due to abnormal migration and proliferation. This work focuses on the development of a new polymer that has the potential to function as an intimal/medial component of a small-diameter blood vessel. Using recombinant elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) developed by the Woodhouse laboratory, as well as chondroitin sulphate-specific binding sequences (CSBD1 and CSBD2) determined by the Panitch laboratory, a new elastin-like polypeptide-chondroitin sulphate binding domain (ELP-CSBD) block copolymer has been developed and characterized. The expression of the ELP1-CSBDs was accomplished using E. coli BL21 cells in a bioreactor or shaker flask systems. The polypeptides were purified using dialysis and ion exchange chromatography and expression and purity were characterized using mass spectrometry and amino acid analysis. Both ELP1-CSBDs were successfully expressed using these methods and ELP1-CSBD1 was produced to high purities. ELP1-CSBD1 was able to undergo coacervation in vitro, suggesting that ELP1-CSBD1 is able to self-assemble in a manner similar to native elastin. In the presence of the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulphate (CS), the temperature of coacervation of ELP1-CSBD1 is increased, the rate and extent of coacervation is decreased, and aggregates remain in solution even at higher temperatures. The influence of heparin was also explored as previous studies indicated that the CS binding domains were shown to also bind to heparin. Studies completed in the presence of heparin showed that there were no significant changes to the coacervation characteristics of ELP1-CSBD1. It is anticipated that when combined with CS, ELP1-CSBD1 will gel, forming a basis for an intimal/medial layer of a TEBV that will modulate SMC response and increase graft integrity. / Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-06 21:03:37.788

O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo o estudo da interação de complexos de cobre e de zinco contendo fármacos anti-inflamatórios não-esteróides (FAINEs) com o biopolímero quitosana. Foram preparados alguns complexos já reportados na literatura como os complexos de cobre com indometacina, ibuprofeno e naproxeno e os complexos de zinco com indometacina, para os quais foram incluídos estudos adicionais de caracterização. Também foram sintetizados complexos inéditos de cobre com cetoprofeno e de zinco com ibuprofeno e meloxicam. Estudou-se a interação de alguns dos metalofármacos com microesferas de quitosana reticuladas com glutaraldeído, preparadas pelo método de coacervação. Investigou-se também materiais obtidos por spray-drying, resultantes da interação dos metalofármacos de Cu-ibuprofeno e Cu-indometacina, e do fármaco indometacina, com quitosana. Esses materiais foram submetidos a ensaios preliminares de avaliação macroscópica da lesão intestinal in vivo. Os compostos e materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por análise elementar, espectroscopia eletrônica, espectroscopia vibracional FTIR, difratometria de raios X de pó (DRX), e análise térmica (TG/DTG/DSC). / The present work aimed the study of interactions between copper and zinc complexes containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with the chitosan biopolymer. Complexes already reported in the literature such as copper with indomethacin, ibuprofen and naproxen and zinc with indomethacin were prepared and additional characterization studies were performed. New complexes of copper and zinc with ketoprofen, ibuprofen and meloxicam were also synthesized. The interactions of some metallodrugs with microspheres of chitosan cross-linked with glutaraldeyde, prepared by the coacervation method were studied. Materials prepared by spray-drying method, resulting from the interactions of copper-ibuprofen and copper-indomethacin metallodrugs, and from the Indomethacin drug, with chitosan were also investigated. These materials were submitted to preliminary assays to evaluate the macroscopic intestinal damage in vivo. The compounds and materials were basically characterized by elemental analysis, electronic spectroscopy, FTIR vibrational spectroscopy, powder X-rays diffractometry, and thermal analysis (TG/DTG/DSC).

O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo o estudo da interação de complexos de cobre e de zinco contendo fármacos anti-inflamatórios não-esteróides (FAINEs) com o biopolímero quitosana. Foram preparados alguns complexos já reportados na literatura como os complexos de cobre com indometacina, ibuprofeno e naproxeno e os complexos de zinco com indometacina, para os quais foram incluídos estudos adicionais de caracterização. Também foram sintetizados complexos inéditos de cobre com cetoprofeno e de zinco com ibuprofeno e meloxicam. Estudou-se a interação de alguns dos metalofármacos com microesferas de quitosana reticuladas com glutaraldeído, preparadas pelo método de coacervação. Investigou-se também materiais obtidos por spray-drying, resultantes da interação dos metalofármacos de Cu-ibuprofeno e Cu-indometacina, e do fármaco indometacina, com quitosana. Esses materiais foram submetidos a ensaios preliminares de avaliação macroscópica da lesão intestinal in vivo. Os compostos e materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por análise elementar, espectroscopia eletrônica, espectroscopia vibracional FTIR, difratometria de raios X de pó (DRX), e análise térmica (TG/DTG/DSC). / The present work aimed the study of interactions between copper and zinc complexes containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with the chitosan biopolymer. Complexes already reported in the literature such as copper with indomethacin, ibuprofen and naproxen and zinc with indomethacin were prepared and additional characterization studies were performed. New complexes of copper and zinc with ketoprofen, ibuprofen and meloxicam were also synthesized. The interactions of some metallodrugs with microspheres of chitosan cross-linked with glutaraldeyde, prepared by the coacervation method were studied. Materials prepared by spray-drying method, resulting from the interactions of copper-ibuprofen and copper-indomethacin metallodrugs, and from the Indomethacin drug, with chitosan were also investigated. These materials were submitted to preliminary assays to evaluate the macroscopic intestinal damage in vivo. The compounds and materials were basically characterized by elemental analysis, electronic spectroscopy, FTIR vibrational spectroscopy, powder X-rays diffractometry, and thermal analysis (TG/DTG/DSC).