May 11th, 2009
Each day, I learn more about the amazing benefits of cyclodextrins — novel excipients of unexplored potential. Research studies in both humans and animals have shown that cyclodextrins and their derivatives can be used to improve the drug delivery system for almost any type of drug formulation from anti-cancer drugs to anti -viral drugs. In the pharmaceutical industry, cyclodextrins are used as complexing agents to increase the aqueous solubility of poorly soluble drugs and to increase their bioavailability and stability.
When some cancer drugs are combined with cyclodextrins, their bioavailability increases. If a drug’s bioavailability can be controlled in the bloodstream and acceptable drug levels are reached more effectively and precisely, it takes far less of a drug to produce cancer killing effects. Cyclodextrins can help make cancer treatment far less debilitating for a patient undergoing chemotherapy treatment — less of a toxic drug in a person’s system makes for less side effects.
Cyclodextrins were discovered over 100 years ago and the first patent on cyclodextrins and their complexes was registered in 1953. Here is an excellent paper outlining all the benefits of cyclodextrins which I believe has much greater potential than anyone ever imagined: http://www.pharmainfo.net/reviews/cyclodextrins-drug-delivery-systems-update.
Filed under Bioavailability, Cancer Drugs, Cyclodextrin, Cyclodextrin Patents, chemotherapy drugs |
