117
antioxidants, flavors, and aromas, as components of artificial enzymatic systems, as
drug delivery vehicles, and as vectorizing agents.
In 2004, Professor Szejtli wrote: “The actual and potential uses of cyclodextrins
in products and technologies seem to be inexhaustible” (Szejtli 2004c). Using his
own results, Professor Szejtli claimed that cyclodextrins might play a significant
role in cosmeto-textiles (Szejtli 2003, 2004a), functional food and therapeutic products (Szejtli 2004b), agrochemistry (Szejtli 2004a), environmental protection, i.e.,
in terms of removal of pollutants present in all environmental compartments, soils,
waters, and air, and in other domains such as cell biology, formulation of detergents,
glues and adhesives, packaging, nanotechnology, and sensors (Szejtli 2004a, c).
Professor Szejtli was among the first to introduce the concept of cyclodextrins as
active and smart molecules rather than complexing molecules with expected applications in textiles, e.g., “intelligent” materials loaded with biologically active substances such as drugs, insect repellents, and antimicrobial agents, in biotechnology,
e.g., biotransformation and fermentation processing, protein and peptide delivery,
and vaccine production, and in cell biology (Szejtli et al. 1980i, 1982b; Szejtli
1990b, 2003).
2.4 Selected Highlights in Szejtli’s Fundamentals Works
2.4.1 Historical Review
In 1957, Professor Dexter French published “the first historical survey illustrating
the metamorphosis of the Schardinger dextrins” (French 1957). In this review,
Dexter divided the history of Schardinger dextrins/cycloamyloses into two general
periods, the discovery, between 1891 and 1935, and their maturity from 1935 to
1950. Historical milestones on cyclodextrins were also published by Thoma and
Stewart (1965), Caesar (1968), and Clarke et al. (1988).
In 1998, the famous journal Chemical Reviews published a special issue devoted
to cyclodextrins. It contained 13 chapters and is still a reference today, including the
excellent introductory review by Professor Szejtli. In this paper, Professor Szejtli
pursued the history of cyclodextrins written by Professor French, which was also
updated 9 and 16 years later by Loftsson and Duchêne (2007) and Crini (2014),
respectively.
The history as written by Professor Szejtli was divided into three major periods
(Szejtli 1998): discovery 1891–1935, exploration 1935–1970, and utilization 1970
to the present day (Fig. 2.11). In the first 45 years about 50, in the second period
(~35 years) about 2000, and in the third period (during the last 27 years) about
13,000 cyclodextrin-related publications have been published.
In this well-cited review (Szejtli 1998), Professor Szejtli, pointing out the misinformation on the toxicity of cyclodextrins reported by Professor French in 1957,
2 Professor József Szejtli: The Godfather of Cyclodextrins
antioxidants, flavors, and aromas, as components of artificial enzymatic systems, as
drug delivery vehicles, and as vectorizing agents.
In 2004, Professor Szejtli wrote: “The actual and potential uses of cyclodextrins
in products and technologies seem to be inexhaustible” (Szejtli 2004c). Using his
own results, Professor Szejtli claimed that cyclodextrins might play a significant
role in cosmeto-textiles (Szejtli 2003, 2004a), functional food and therapeutic products (Szejtli 2004b), agrochemistry (Szejtli 2004a), environmental protection, i.e.,
in terms of removal of pollutants present in all environmental compartments, soils,
waters, and air, and in other domains such as cell biology, formulation of detergents,
glues and adhesives, packaging, nanotechnology, and sensors (Szejtli 2004a, c).
Professor Szejtli was among the first to introduce the concept of cyclodextrins as
active and smart molecules rather than complexing molecules with expected applications in textiles, e.g., “intelligent” materials loaded with biologically active substances such as drugs, insect repellents, and antimicrobial agents, in biotechnology,
e.g., biotransformation and fermentation processing, protein and peptide delivery,
and vaccine production, and in cell biology (Szejtli et al. 1980i, 1982b; Szejtli
1990b, 2003).
2.4 Selected Highlights in Szejtli’s Fundamentals Works
2.4.1 Historical Review
In 1957, Professor Dexter French published “the first historical survey illustrating
the metamorphosis of the Schardinger dextrins” (French 1957). In this review,
Dexter divided the history of Schardinger dextrins/cycloamyloses into two general
periods, the discovery, between 1891 and 1935, and their maturity from 1935 to
1950. Historical milestones on cyclodextrins were also published by Thoma and
Stewart (1965), Caesar (1968), and Clarke et al. (1988).
In 1998, the famous journal Chemical Reviews published a special issue devoted
to cyclodextrins. It contained 13 chapters and is still a reference today, including the
excellent introductory review by Professor Szejtli. In this paper, Professor Szejtli
pursued the history of cyclodextrins written by Professor French, which was also
updated 9 and 16 years later by Loftsson and Duchêne (2007) and Crini (2014),
respectively.
The history as written by Professor Szejtli was divided into three major periods
(Szejtli 1998): discovery 1891–1935, exploration 1935–1970, and utilization 1970
to the present day (Fig. 2.11). In the first 45 years about 50, in the second period
(~35 years) about 2000, and in the third period (during the last 27 years) about
13,000 cyclodextrin-related publications have been published.
In this well-cited review (Szejtli 1998), Professor Szejtli, pointing out the misinformation on the toxicity of cyclodextrins reported by Professor French in 1957,
2 Professor József Szejtli: The Godfather of Cyclodextrins