In this study, melanin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded chitosan microparticles were prepared and the drug release profiles from the microparticles were investigated under near infrared (NIR) 808 nm laser irradiation at 1.5 W/cm 2 for 5 min. The chitosan microparticles were uniform and spherical in shape. After irradiation of NIR 808 nm laser at 1.5 W/cm 2 for 5 min, the temperature of the chitosan microparticle solution increased. As the concentration of the chitosan microparticles increases from 0.55 mg/mL to 2.75 mg/mL, the temperature of the microparticle solution increased with irradiation time. Under NIR 808 nm laser irradiation, 32.1±2.3% and 53.7±1.1% of 5-FU from the chitosan microparticles were released at pH 7.4 and 5.0, respectively. In other hand, without laser irradiation 23.9±1.6% and 26.9±2.0% of 5-FU were released from the chitosan microparticles at pH 7.4 and 5.0, respectively. All these results indicate that chitosan microparticles containing melanin could be used as a photo-induced drug release system.