Cyclodextrin-Based Polymers for Food and Pharmaceutical Applications: A Historical Review

Abstract

The encapsulation capabilities of cyclodextrins and the controlled release of guest molecules can be modulated with the aid of the additional functionality of a polymeric macrostructure. In addition, the covalent attachment of cyclodextrin moieties to a pre-existing material is intended to immobilize them, as in the case of medical devices or packaging applications. The first references dealing with the potential use of cyclodextrin polymers as macromolecular carriers date back to the 1980s. Since then, they have been incorporated into many constructions, such as hydrogels, nanosponges, dendrimers, interpenetrating networks, molecular imprinted polymers, and other smart biomaterials. The present chapter discusses, from a historical perspective, the evolution of the synthesis procedures to prepare covalently linked cyclodextrins, either by grafting or cross-linking mechanisms. Then, their applications in the food and pharmaceuti- cal sectors are presented. Debittering of juices and retention of flavors were the first proposed uses in food science, and, more recently, smart packaging using cyclodextrin polymers is being developed. In the case of the pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, numerous studies on cyclodextrin polymers are being published in the last years, mainly in drug release, but also as polymeric vectors for gene delivery as well as in the field of regenerative medicine.