The disclosed subject matter relates to the delivery of hydroxyl-containing compounds as microparticles for a variety of pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetics and personal care applications. This entails the manufacture and use of polymerized hydro-X compounds. Note is made of hydro-X compounds selected from the group consisting of curcuminoids, stilbenoids, resolvins, phenylethanoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, flavanones, flavones, prenylflavonoids, isoflavones, isoflavanes, dihydrochalcones, isoflavenes, coumestans, lignans, flavonoligans, flavonols, mycoestrogens, xenoestrogens, phytoestrogens, sterols, corticosteroids, androgens, estrogens, stanols, steroids, secosteroids, tannins, statins, catechols, catechins, opioids, cannabinoids, pleuromutilins, luteolinidin, anthocyanidins, apigeninidin, glycosylated compounds, and macrolides.