Alpha-Cyclodextrin (as known as called α-dextrin, α-cyclodextrin, α-CD, alphadextrin, alpha cyclodextrin). It is a series of cyclic oligosaccharides produced by amylose under the action of cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase produced by Bacillus.
Alpha-Cyclodextrin is produced by the action of cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase (CGTase, EC 2.4.1.19) on hydrolysed starch syrups at neutral pH (6.0-7.0) and moderate temperature (35-40℃).
The annular (or doughnut-shaped) structure of alpha-cyclodextrin provides a hydrophobic cavity that allows formation of inclusion complexes with a variety of non-polar organic molecules of appropriate size.
The hydrophilic nature of the outer surface of the cyclic structure makes alpha-cyclodextrin water-soluble.
It is widely used in the drugs, food, flavor and cosmetics. Alpha-cyclodextrin is also widely used in the field of pesticide and adjusting the metabolization of the crop and increasing the quantity of the crop. Especially the cyclodextrin and its ramification which developed by these years, some of them are the important solutizer, stablizer, releaser or the assist materials of the Entericcoated drugs,some of them are the materials of organic synthetical macromolecular stuff.
