UTILIZATION OF CYCLODEXTRINS IN INDUSTRIAL-PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES

During the last ten years the production of cyclodextrins increased fr om several hundred to thousand tons, and besides alpha-, beta- and gam ma-cyclodextrins, methylated and hydroxypropylated cyclodextrins are a lso produced on an industrial scale. For other purposes (chromatograph y, catalysis, reagents, diagnostics, specific drug formulations, etc.) , about a hundred different cyclodextrin derivatives and complexes are commercially available. A dozen cyclodextrin-containing drugs have al ready been approved and marketed. Around 130-140 new cyclodextrin-rela ted papers, patents (applications) and conference abstracts are publis hed each month. The largest number of publications deals with actual o r mainly potential pharmaceutical applications of cyclodextrins, but t he largest amount of them is used in foods, cosmetics and toiletry pro ducts. A similar intense development is expected for the next decade.