RESUMO
Piperine (PP), a natural alkaloid found in black pepper, possesses significant bioactivities. However, its use in pharmaceutical applications is hindered by low water solubility and susceptibility to UV light degradation. To overcome these challenges, we investigated the potential of ß-cyclodextrin (ßCD) and its derivatives with dimethyl (DMßCD), hydroxy-propyl (HPßCD) and sulfobutyl-ether (SBEßCD) substitutions to enhance the solubility and stability of PP. This study employed computational and experimental approaches to examine the complexation between PP and ßCDs. The results revealed the formation of two types of inclusion complexes: the P-form and M-form involving the insertion of piperidine moiety and the methylene-di-oxy-phenyl moiety, respectively. These complexes primarily rely on van der Waals interactions. Among the three derivatives, the PP/SBEßCD complex exhibited the highest stability followed by HPßCD, as attributed to maximum atom contacts and minimal solvent accessibility. Solubility studies confirmed the formation of inclusion complexes in a 1:1 ratio. Notably, the stability constant of the inclusion complex was approximately two-fold higher with SBEßCD and HPßCD compared to ßCD. The DSC thermograms provided confirmation of the formation of the inclusion complex between the host and guest. These findings highlight the potential of ßCD derivatives to effectively encapsulate PP, improving its solubility and presenting new opportunities for its pharmaceutical applications.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.