Abstract
The hydrocortisone-type corticosteroid (HTC) group includes valuable active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) such as hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, cortisone acetate, tixocortol pivalate, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, and prednisone. Unfortunately, those APIs are characterized by low solubility, which hampers their application and reduces their therapeutic efficacy. The low polarity of HTC molecules allows them to form inclusion complexes with various cyclodextrins (CDs); however, as shown in this review, the type of applied CDs has a major impact on the final properties of the formed complex. HTC-CD complexes have been routinely used for over 40 years to achieve various aims. Most frequently, CDs have been utilized as HTC solubilizers and absorption enhancers in pharmaceutical formulations, as well as for separation and analysis by chromatographic and electrophoretic methods. This article reviews the studies describing the synthesis as well as the biological, physiochemical, and structural properties of the inclusion complexes formed between HTC and various cyclodextrins.