Posted by The modulation of the gut microbiome through dietary components has garnered significant attention for its potential health benefits. Prebiotics, non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, play a crucial role in maintaining gut health, enhancing immune function, and potentially preventing various metabolic and inflammatory disorders. This review explores the prebiotic activity of cyclodextrins and dextrans, focusing on their ability to influence gut microbiota composition and function. Both cyclodextrins and dextrans have demonstrated the capacity to promote the growth of beneficial bacterial populations, while also impacting short-chain fatty acid production, crucial for gut health.
The gut–brain axis, which refers to the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, has garnered significant attention, and prebiotics are being studied for their potential to influence mood, anxiety, and cognitive function through their impact on the gut microbiota.
The paper gives an overview on oral toxicology of CDs: “The recommended daily oral doses for cyclodextrins include up to 6000 mg for α-CD, 500 mg for β-CD, 10,000 mg for γ-CD, and 8000 mg for HP-β-CD in pharmaceutical use [65]. In preclinical studies, the no-observable-effect level for HP-β-CD is 500 mg/kg/day for rats and 1000 mg/kg/day for dogs over a year, while the no-observed-adverse-effect level for SBE-β-CD is 3600 mg/kg/day in both species over three months [66]. Studies in young rats showed that doses of HP-β-CD up to 2000 mg/kg/day were not more toxic than in adults [67]. Limited data in young children suggest that doses up to 200 mg/kg/day of HP-β-CD over two weeks are well tolerated, with less than 1% oral bioavailability [68].”
Gościniak A, Lainé E, Cielecka-Piontek J. How Do Cyclodextrins and Dextrans Affect the Gut Microbiome? Review of Prebiotic Activity. Molecules. 2024 Nov 11;29(22):5316. doi: 10.3390/molecules29225316.