Merck, C4680-5G, α-Cyclodextrin

General description
α-Cyclodextrin (α-CD) is a cyclic oligosaccharide that consists of six glucopyranose units linked by α-(1,4) bonds. α-CD acts as a soluble dietary fiber and hence it is preferred to be widely used in food industry.
Application
Useful for the solubilization of nonpolar macromolecules such as fatty acids, lipids, and cholesterol for use in cell culture applications. α-Cyclodextrin has been used to solubilize odanacatib, a cathepsin K inhibitor.
Biochem/physiol Actions
α-Cyclodextrin is found to form a firm complex with dietary fats. This way it decreases the bioavailability and absorption of fats. It is known to regulate triglyceride and leptin levels in serum. In rat models, α-Cyclodextrin is shown to induce insulin sensitivity and fecal fat excretion. Thus, α-cyclodextrin is considered to be effective for treating obesity and metabolic syndromes.