In the present study gamma-oryzanol, an antioxidant, was incorporated into three different types of solid lipid: wax, triglycerides, a mixture of glycerides as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and liquid lipid (Miglyol 812) as nanoemulsion (NE). Instability was found only from NE due to its significant increase in particle size and decreased entrapment efficiency (%EE) at a storage temperature of 45 degrees C. Solid lipid type in SLN plays an important role only on %EE, but not chemical stability. A decrease in crystallinity of SLN was observed with the incorporation of gamma-oryzanol and low recrystallization index were found with two glycerides-based SLN. The in vitro release studies demonstrated that a biphasic release pattern fitted well with the Higuchi model of SLN formulations. In comparison, nearly constant release was observed in NE comprised of similar composition. Wax-based SLN demonstrated the lowest cytotoxicity. NE, wax-based SLN and a mixture of glycerides-based SLN were considered to enhance the antioxidant activity of gamma-oryzanol.