WACKER cyclodextrins: The ‘magic molecules’

Cyclodextrins are produced enzymatically from starch. They are bioengineered from plant-based raw materials like corn with the aid of enzymes. Depending on the number of glucose units, a distinction is made between α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin: α-cyclodextrin consists of six, β-cyclodextrin of seven, and γ-cyclodextrin of eight glucose units.

CAVAMAX^® cyclodextrins have unique properties resulting in a wide range of functionalities, such as stabilisation, rheology control, masking of bitterness, increasing bioavailability, and much more. This paves the way for a multitude of innovative food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. WACKER offers unique solutions for formulating effective dietary supplements with these cyclodextrins. It has filed numerous patents in this field and funded various clinical studies.

One of WACKER’s bestsellers is the curcumin-cyclodextrin complex CAVACURMIN^®. Curcumin is among the best known biofunctional substances, with many health effects confirmed in countless studies. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that has been proven to support the immune system. Furthermore, curcumin has an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the human body does not readily absorb it.

With the WACKER solution, increased bioavailability can be achieved by means of the cyclodextrin-encapsulated curcumin extract. WACKER bioengineers the ring-shaped sugar molecules via enzymatic degradation from the starch-containing raw material corn. The characteristic feature of cyclodextrins is their three-dimensional structure: it forms a ring with a hydrophobic interior cavity that is capable of receiving a lipophilic ‘guest’ molecule – such as curcumin – provided its size and shape are compatible. The cyclodextrin’s hydrophilic shell can increase the bioavailability of curcumin – i.e., the amount that can be taken up by the human body.

Several scientific studies have confirmed the positive effect attained by complexing with cyclodextrins. CAVACURMIN^® is a highly bioavailable curcumin powder, which is absorbed about 40 times more efficiently than pure curcumin extract. Bioavailability was also greatly enhanced compared to two curcumin reference products of a study. Yet this is only one example that shows the great advantages of WACKER’s CAVACURMIN^®.

Another study shows that CAVACURMIN^® is the only formulation on the market that demonstrably boosts the bioavailability of both curcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin. Tetrahydrocurcumin is a curcumin metabolite credited with additional health-promoting properties. The metabolic bioavailability gives the ratio of the in-vivo production of tetrahydrocurcumin to the absorbed amount of curcumin.

A large portion of supplemented curcumin is converted into tetrahydrocurcumin in the body. This metabolite is credited with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As part of a randomized, double-blind study, it has been shown that the metabolic bioavailability of tetrahydrocurcumin is also around 40 times higher following ingestion of CAVACURMIN^® compared to a standard curcumin extract. Another finding of the long-term study is that, after only four weeks, daily ingestion of CAVACURMIN^® (approx. 340 milligrams of curcumin each time) leads to a consistently high blood concentration of curcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin. This effect can also be measured after 12 weeks. The long-term study furthermore confirmed very high tolerability of CAVACURMIN^®.

Recently, a study was published that highlights the positive effect of CAVACURMIN^® on prostate volume, lower urinary tract symptoms, and micturition parameters in men with benign prostate enlargement after one year of therapy. After one year, the following statistical improvements were measured in the CAVACURMIN^® group:

As a free-flowing powder, CAVACURMIN^® is ideal for use in tablets, capsules, gummies, energy bars, and beverages.