Hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins, which originated in this section in 1981, are chemical derivatives of enzymatically modified starch and can be used as powerful solubilizers of non-polar, water insoluble substances. Such solubilization makes it possible to prepare highly effective pharmaceutical formulations directly from hormones and proteins and eliminates the usual need for chemical modification to make them pharmaceutically acceptable. Thus, hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins may be expected to improve therapeutics of chronic diseases of elders, many of which involve hormonal supplementation. The present results of the section's work help delineate the conditions of safe therapy by identifying dosages and styles of uses of hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins.
