6-O-alpha-(4-O-alpha-D-glucuronyl)-D-glucosyl-beta-cyclodextrin: solubilizing ability and some cellular effects

Some physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties of a new branched cyclodextrin, 6-O-alpha-(4-O-alpha-D-glucuronyl)-D-glucosyl-beta-cyclodextrin (GUG-beta-CyD), were investigated. The interaction of GUG-beta-CyD with drugs was studied by spectroscopic and solubility methods, and compared with those of parent beta-CyD and 6-O-alpha-maltosyl-beta-CyD (G(2)-beta-CyD). The hemolytic activity of GUG-beta-CyD on rabbit erythrocytes was lower than those of beta-CyD and G(2)-beta-CyD. GUG-beta-CyD and G(2)-beta-CyD showed negligible cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells up to at least 0.1 M. The inclusion ability of GUG-beta-CyD to neutral and acidic drugs was comparable to or slightly smaller than those of beta-CyD and G(2)-beta-CyD, probably because of a steric hindrance of the branched sugar. On the other hand, GUG-beta-CyD showed greater affinity for the basic drugs, compared with beta-CyD and G(2)-beta-CyD, owing to an electrostatic interaction of its carboxylate anion with positive charge of basic drugs. Thus, GUG-beta-CyD may be useful as a safe solubilizing agent particularly for basic drugs.