Α-Cyclodextrin
α-Cyclodextrin, sometimes abbreviated as α-CD, is a hexasaccharide derived from glucose. It is related to the β- and γ- cyclodextrins, which contain seven and eight glucose units, respectively. All cyclodextrins are white, water-soluble solids with minimal toxicity. Cyclodextrins tend to bind other molecules in their quasi-cylindrical, lipophilic interiors. The compound is of wide interest because it exhibits host–guest properties, forming inclusion compounds. This inclusion behavior leads to applications in medicine.
Structure
In α-cyclodextrin, the six glucose subunits are linked end to end via α-1, 4 linkages. The result has the shape of a tapered cylinder, with six primary alcohols on one face and twelve secondary alcohol groups on the other. The exterior surface of cyclodextrins is somewhat hydrophilic whereas the interior core is hydrophobic.Applications
α-Cyclodextrin is marketed for a range of medical, healthcare, and food and beverage applications. For drug delivery, this cyclodextrin confers aqueous solubility to hydrophobic drugs and stability to labile drugs.Image:Rotaxane Crystal Structure ChemComm page493 2001 commons.jpg|thumbnail|250px|Crystal structure of a rotaxane with an α-cyclodextrin macrocycle.