Abstract

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides that are widely applied as solubilizers in pharmaceutical preparations to improve the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of active pharmaceutical ingredients. While native CDs are biologically derived from D-glucose, recent advances have introduced L-glucose cyclodextrins (L-CDs) as promising new alternatives. Due to their unique stereochemistry, L-CDs possess distinct physicochemical and biological profiles that may offer significant advantages in drug delivery systems. L-Glucose cyclodextrins are synthetically produced through recent advancements in laboratory synthesis. These compounds can be selectively functionalized with targeting ligands to enable site-specific delivery to tumors and facilitate penetration across the blood-brain barrier. Additionally, L-Glucose cyclodextrins exhibit relative resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis, though they remain susceptible to degradation by specialized enzymes known as cyclomaltodextrinases. This review discusses the structure, pharmaceutical potential, and novel applications of L-CDs, highlighting how they enable the formulation of drug design strategies.