Cyclodextrins and carrier systems

This paper describes two new possibilities of using cyclodextrins to increase water solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs intended for targeting delivery by the oral or the parenteral route. They use either amphiphilic cyclodextrin nanoparticles or polymeric nanoparticles containing cyclodextrins. Amphiphilic skirt-shaped cyclodextrins, resulting from the esterification of primary hydroxyl groups by hydrocarbon chains varying from C6 to C14, are capable of forming spontaneously nanoparticles which have been loaded with a series of steroid drugs. The drug in the amphiphilic cyclodextrin nanoparticles is molecularly dispersed and can be released very rapidly. Poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles can be loaded with natural or hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins. This technique results in a significant increase in the loading capacity of nanoparticles with a series of steroids and in a very rapid release of the drug. Both methods are described as well as their potential interest for water-insoluble drugs. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.