Paclitaxel/β-Cyclodextrin interactions, a perspective from pulsed NMR spectroscopy experiments

Cyclodextrins are cyclic cone shaped oligosaccharides. A guest molecule can be incorporated into the hydrophobic inner of the cyclodextrin to form non-covalent complexes. The formation of these complexes in general, increases the solubility, stability, dissolution rate, and bioavailability of drugs with poor water solubility. Different techniques were applied to gain insights about the interaction between paclitaxel and randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin during the formation of an inclusion complex. Results from infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy were compared. The fast and economical pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy allows to explain that mol paclitaxel:mol RAMEβ-CD 1:20 was the best ratio to obtain inclusion complexes. In addition, the preferred aromatic ring for the inclusion is that in the position 3' of the side chain of paclitaxel molecule.